CHENNAI, INDIA (Business Line) Dec. 14. - MIXED cropping, increasingproductivity, on-farm processing, value added products diversification andmarketing are key to survival of coconut farmers and processors in thecompetitive environment, according to Dr P. Rethinam, Chairman, CoconutDevelopment Board (CBD) and Executive Director Designate, Asian andPacific Coconut Community, Jakarta.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday to highlight the potentialin coconut farming and processing, he said the focus during the Tenth Planwould be on increasing productivity and efficiency of operations ratherthan increasing acreages.

India has about 1.9 million hectares under cultivation and produces 30 percent of the world's annual production of 54,125 million nuts.

Its productivity was among the highest in the world with 8622 coconuts perhectare per year against the world average of 4545, he said.

Despite the advantage in production and productivity, coconut farmers hadnot been able to achieve sufficient remuneration, and the minimum supportprice announced by the Government had not reached farmers because ofover-dependence on the trader-processor. However, domestic coconut pricesover the last decade ruled 70-330 per cent higher than internationalmarket prices, he said.

Coconut farmers have to get together either through farmers' societies orassociations and set up processing facilities for better remuneration andmore value-addition, he said On farm, farmers' remuneration could beincreased through multi-storeyed cropping, inter-cropping and animalhusbandry, he said.