Koyilandy: Moodadi grama panchayat in Kozhikode district is about to roll out a special scheme for coconut farmers. It is expected that the scheme will act as a support for farmers burdened by the high cost of coconut plucking. 

Named ‘Kerala Soubhagya’, the local administration will bear almost half the cost of coconut plucking under the scheme. Interestingly, many see the scheme can be rolled out at the state level for aiding coconut farmers.

Those farmers enrolled under the scheme will not have to directly approach coconut pluckers. Instead, the agricultural task force under the administration will provide the pluckers.

Rs 50 has been estimated as the cost of plucking coconuts from a single tree. The farmers need to manage half of it, while the remaining half will be borne by the panchayat.

In Moodadi, the scheme has been included under the People’s Planning project for the current fiscal. It is estimated that Rs 19 lakh will be required for the project. The agricultural officer will be the implementing officer for the project. 

Farmers need to apply before grama sabha and the subsidy given will be based on the number of coconut trees.  

Kerala Soubagya was ideated by former agricultural officer KV Naushad.