Chennai: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inaugurate a national stakeholders’ meeting on the Coconut Promotion Scheme at IIT Madras in Chennai on March 7.
The minister is expected to present the government’s policy vision and provide guidance for implementing the Coconut Promotion Scheme. He will also interact with leaders representing coconut farmers.
Senior policymakers will attend the meeting. These include the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and agriculture and horticulture secretaries from major coconut-growing southern states.
Elected representatives and senior officials from the Coconut Development Board will also participate in the discussions.
More than 1,000 stakeholders are expected to attend the event. Participants include coconut farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations, researchers, entrepreneurs and policy experts from across the country.
Coconut Promotion Scheme aims to strengthen coconut sector
The meeting comes after the announcement of the Coconut Promotion Scheme in the Union Budget 2026–27.
The scheme seeks to revitalise India’s coconut sector, which supports the livelihoods of nearly 30 million people. About 10 million coconut farmers depend on the sector for income.
Officials said the Coconut Promotion Scheme adopts an integrated strategy to address key challenges. These include declining productivity, ageing plantations, pest and disease outbreaks and shortages of quality planting material.
The programme proposes large-scale production of high-quality coconut seedlings and expansion of cultivation in suitable regions.
It also plans phased replanting and rejuvenation of old or unproductive coconut gardens.
Authorities will promote crop health management practices to improve yields. In addition, the scheme proposes establishing integrated coconut processing units to boost value addition and exports.
During the meeting, state governments will present their strategies for implementing the scheme.
Participants will also take part in interactive sessions. Farmers, researchers and entrepreneurs will share feedback and field-level experiences.
Officials said the discussions aim to build national consensus and strengthen coordination between the Centre and states.
The initiative also aims to mobilise stakeholder participation for the successful rollout of the Coconut Promotion Scheme.
The government expects the programme to help increase farmer incomes and strengthen sustainability in the coconut sector.
Authorities also aim to position India as a major global exporter of coconut and coir products by the 2030s.
