Constraints and suggestions by the coconut growers in Tumkur district of Karnataka

The present study on Constraints and Suggestions by the randomly selected 120 coconut growers from Tiptur, Turuvekere, Chikkanayakanahalli and Sira taluks of Tumkur district was conducted during the year 2022-23. The research objective was to enlist the constraints faced by the coconut growers and to seek their suggestions to overcome them. Overall it was disclosed that coconut growers faced constraints majorly in pest & diseases attack in case of production constraints (Rank I) followed by high cost of inputs (Rank II) and then by poor irrigation facility (Rank III). In case of financial constraints inadequate credit was major constraint (Rank I) followed by insufficient repayment time (Rank II) and then followed by inadequate subsidy (Rank III). In the event of labour constraints major constraint was non-availability of climbers for carrying out plant protection & harvesting activities (Rank I) followed by high labour wages (Rank II) and then followed by non-availability of labours timely (Rank III). In the instance of market related constraints lack of remunerative price for coconut ranked first (Rank I) then next by lack of co-operative marketing (Rank II) and then followed by lack of market information (Rank III) were major constraints. In case of extension related constraints lack of timely technical advice on coconut farming (Rank I) followed by lack of farmer training programmes about coconut farming (Rank II) and then followed by insufficient extension activities like demonstrations, farmers group discussions, Kisan melas etc. by extension agency (Rank III) were major constraints experienced by the coconut growers. It was also found that among overall coconut growers significant number of coconut growers suggested providing good market prices which was seen ranked top (Rank I) followed by educating & make available cost effective simple technologies for pest and disease management (Rank II) followed by educating about the labour saving technologies like mulching, coconut climbing machineries (Rank III).

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Introduction

Agriculture serves as one of the important parts of India's economy, providing livelihoods for a significant portion of the population while contributing substantially to the nation's Gross Value Added (GVA). Plantation crops, in particular, stand as pillars of growth and development, contributing not only to economic prosperity but also fostering socio-economic advancement across various states. Among these crops, coconut cultivation holds a prominent position, symbolizing resilience, versatility and cultural significance within the agricultural landscape. In botanical terms, the coconut palm, scientifically known as Cocos nucifera, belonging to the monotypic genus Cocos within the Arecaceae family, holds a unique position as the only living species of its genus. Despite its colloquial classification as a "nut," the coconut fruit technically resembles a drupe. Its significance exceeds botanical classification, as the coconut holds cultural, economic and nutritional importance in India. India stands as the world's largest producer boasting nearly 31% share of global coconut production (Coconut Development Board 2021) [1] .

Within the Indian context, coconut cultivation assumes heightened significance, with Karnataka emerging as a prominent hub for coconut production. Tumkur district, often referred to as the 'Kalpatharu Nadu' or the 'Land of Coconuts,' stands at the forefront contributing significantly to the state's coconut output. This district alone contributes around 29% of the total coconut cultivation area and nearly 30% of production in the state (Coconut Development Board 2021-22) [2] . The district's coconut growers navigate a myriad of challenges and opportunities inherent in the cultivation of this multipurpose crop, impacting their livelihoods and the broader socio-economic development of coconut growers of the region. Here Agricultural extension services can become instrumental in driving positive change and fostering agricultural development by understanding the constraints, they face and soliciting their recommendations which are also crucial steps towards fostering agricultural sustainability and enhancing the well-being of farming communities by disseminating knowledge, offering technical assistance and advocating for best practices. www.extensionjournal.com With this backdrop, this research paper seeks to study the constraints encountered by coconut growers in Tumkur district and elicit their suggestions to overcome these hurdles. By shedding light on the challenges and suggestions of coconut farmers, this study aims to inform policy formulation, extension services and stakeholder interventions aimed at nurturing sustainable agricultural development in the region.

Materials and Methods

In the present investigation Ex-post-facto research design was used. The study was conducted in Tumkur district of Karnataka in the year 2022-23. Tumkur district was selected purposively, because it is one of the top coconut growing districts in Karnataka state and also coconut cultivation is being taken up in most of the taluks of the district. Out of ten taluks in Tumkur district, Tiptur, Turuvekere, Chikkanayakanahalli and Sira taluks were selected purposively considering the highest and lowest productivity. Thus, by using simple random sampling thirty coconut growers from each selected taluk were chosen. From four taluks a total sample constituted was 120 coconut growers. To enlist the constraints expressed by the coconut growers, the constraints were grouped into five sub headings like, production related constraints, finance related constraints, labour related constraints, market related constraints and extension related constraints. Then closed end questions with responses concerning to extent of constraint were asked. The scores of all respondents for individual constraints were summed and ranked using mean score under each sub heading. To document suggestions of coconut growers to overcome the constraints, closed end questions were asked and responses with respect to importance of suggestion were sought. The scores of all importance of suggestions for individual statements were summed and ranked using mean score.

Results and Discussion

Results and Discussion

Constraints faced by the coconut growers

The study identified the obstacles experienced by overall coconut growers in coconut farming. The limitations relating to various areas of coconut production were identified using individual respondent replies. The relevant information in this respect is presented in the following Tables.

A. Production related constraints

From Table 1, overall it was found that coconut growers faced constraints majorly in pest & diseases attack in case of production constraints (Rank I) followed by high cost of inputs (Rank II) and then by poor irrigation facility (Rank III). This might be due to lack of information among coconut growers about proper pest and diseases control, the need to purchase inputs from external sources can lead to price fluctuations, dependency on suppliers and increased costs and proximity to reliable water sources might vary among coconut growers, leading to disparities in irrigation capabilities. The important trends are in similarity with Anu (2017) [3] and Deepika (2015) [4] .

Sl. No.	Constraints	Greater extent	—	Lesser extent	—	Not at all	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Pest and disease attack	113	94.16	7	5.83	0	0.00	I
2.	High cost of inputs	39	32.50	36	30.00	45	37.50	II
3.	Poor irrigation facility	34	28.33	40	33.33	46	38.33	III
4.	Unawareness about coconut nutrient management	31	25.83	33	27.50	56	46.66	IV
5.	High cost of seedlings	41	34.16	13	10.83	66	55.00	IV
6.	Non-availability of plant protection equipments	15	12.50	49	40.83	56	46.66	VI
7.	Unawareness about different Government schemes related to coconut farming	12	10.00	39	32.50	69	57.50	VII
8.	Non-availability of inputs in time	6	5.00	1	0.83	113	94.16	VIII
9.	Non-availability of quality coconut seedlings	0	0.00	2	01.67	118	98.33	IX

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Production constraints faced by the coconut growers (n=120)

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B. Financial related constraints

In case of financial constraints shown in Table 2, inadequate credit was major constraint (Rank I) followed by insufficient repayment time (Rank II) and then followed by inadequate subsidy (Rank III). This could be because financial institutions often require collateral to provide credit. Many coconut growers might not possess the necessary assets to offer as collateral, making it difficult to secure loans. Fluctuations in coconut market prices, weather vagaries and lower crop yields can lead to income instability, making it difficult for growers to commit to strict loan repayment schedule. The subsidy might not be adequate to meet the farm needs. The important trends are in similarity with Anu (2017) [3] . If the supply of available labour is insufficient, growers might need to pay higher amount to find farm labours. The migration of labours to cities in search of other jobs limit the timely availability of labours. The important trends are in similarity with Anu (2017) [3] , Deepika (2015) [4] and Priyanka (2018) [5] .

Sl. No.	Constraints	Greater extent	—	Lesser extent	—	Not at all	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Inadequate credit	27	22.50	28	23.33	65	54.16	I
2.	Insufficient repayment time	16	13.33	18	15.00	86	71.66	II
3.	Inadequate subsidy	12	10.00	17	14.16	91	75.83	III
4.	High interest rate	9	7.50	13	10.83	98	81.66	IV
5.	Lack of financial institutions in the locality	8	6.67	11	09.17	101	84.16	V

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Financial constraints faced by the coconut growers (n=120)

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D. Market related constraints

In case of market related constraints shown in Table 4, lack of remunerative price for coconut ranked first (Rank I) followed by lack of co-operative marketing (Rank II) and then followed by lack of market information (Rank III). We could say copra prices have fallen on an average by 31 per cent in the past six months in Karnataka (Deccan Herald, 13 th January 2023) [6] . Poor quality of copra due to rainfall, price manipulation by middlemen and increased import of palm oil have kept the price of coconut and related products low. Many coconut growers might not be fully aware of the benefits of co-operative marketing or might lack knowledge about how to initiate and manage co-operative pool of the farmers. Many coconut growers might not be fully aware about various social platform tools where they could access various market information thus hindering their reach to valuable market information. The important trends are in similarity with Priyanka (2018) [5] .

Sl. No.	Constraints	Greater extent	—	Lesser extent	—	Not at all	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Lack of remunerative price for coconut	116	96.66	2	1.66	2	01.66	I
2.	Lack of co-operative marketing	22	18.33	36	30.00	62	51.66	II
3.	Lack of market information	14	11.66	39	32.50	67	55.83	III
4.	Lack of proper processing industries and storage facilities	12	10.00	21	17.50	87	72.50	IV
5.	Delayed cash payment	7	05.83	26	21.67	87	72.50	V
6.	Perishability of the produce	14	11.66	11	09.16	95	79.16	VI
7.	Lack of good transportation facilities	11	09.16	15	12.50	94	78.33	VII
8.	Markets are located at faraway places	7	05.83	21	17.50	92	76.66	VIII

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Market constraints faced by the coconut growers (n=120)

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E. Extension related constraints

In case of extension related constraints shown in Table 5, lack of timely technical advice on coconut farming (Rank I) followed by lack of farmer training programmes about coconut farming (Rank II) and then followed by insufficient extension activities like demonstrations, farmers group discussions, Kisan melas etc. by extension agency (Rank III) were major constraints experienced by the coconut growers. Agricultural extension services might be inadequately resourced or understaffed, resulting in a lack of timely and regular visits to all the coconut farms to provide technical advice. Also, the ability of extension organizations to successfully undertake training and outreach may be hampered by a lack of staff or poorly trained people. Agencies that provide extension services may have trouble reaching farmers in distant or difficult-to access locations where they are spread over considerable distances. The important trends are in similarity with Anu (2017) [3] and Priyanka (2018) [5] . Some other miscellaneous constraints expressed openly Some of the farmers even expressed few other problems related to ODOP loan problem and also the delay in NAFED amount payment. This might be due to the bureaucratic administration delays in the amount sanction.

Sl. No.	Constraints	Greater extent	—	Lesser extent	—	Not at all	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Lack of timely technical advice on coconut farming	39	32.50	11	9.16	70	58.33	I
2.	Lack of farmer training programmes about coconut farming	24	20.00	33	27.50	63	52.50	II
3.	Insufficient extension activities like demonstrations, farmers group discussions, kisan melas etc. by extension agency	21	17.50	13	10.83	86	71.66	III

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Extension constraints faced by the coconut growers (n=120)

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Suggestions as expressed by coconut growers

Table 6 shows the suggestions expressed by coconut growers. It was found that among overall coconut growers significant number of coconut growers suggested providing good market prices ranked top (Rank I) followed by educating and make available cost effective simple technologies for pest and disease management (Rank II) followed by Educating about the labour saving technologies like mulching, coconut climbing machineries (Rank III).

Sl. No.	Statements	Very important	—	Important	—	Not important	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Providing good market price	120	100.00	0	0.00	0	0.00	I
2.	Educating & make available cost effective simple technologies for pest and disease management	106	88.33	14	11.67	0	0.00	II
3.	Educating about the labour saving technologies like mulching, coconut climbing machineries	93	77.50	19	15.83	8	6.67	III
4.	Giving timely technical advice on coconut farming	91	75.83	22	18.33	7	5.83	IV
5.	Make sure availability and supply of quality inputs at right time at subsidized rates	59	49.17	7	05.83	54	45.00	V
6.	Timely and adequate information regarding availability of inputs, prices, arrivals etc.	40	33.33	21	17.50	59	49.16	VI
7.	Conducting demonstration cum training programmes regularly	22	18.33	56	46.66	42	35.00	VII
8.	Provision of irrigation source	37	30.83	21	17.50	62	51.66	VIII
9.	Providing timely and interest free credit	31	25.83	19	15.83	70	58.33	IX
10.	Providing linkages to processing industries and storage facilities	26	21.66	23	19.16	71	59.16	X
11.	Providing market information	15	12.50	42	35.00	63	52.50	XI
12.	Longer repayment period for credit	6	5.00	20	16.67	94	78.33	XII
13.	Provision for timely and adequate cash payment	1	0.83	20	16.66	99	82.50	XIII
14.	Provision for suitable market infrastructure viz. transportation etc.	4	3.33	8	06.66	108	90.00	XIV

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Suggestions as expressed by coconut growers (n=120)

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Coconut growers are highly motivated by the need for better income and profitability. Good market prices directly impact their economic well-being and livelihood. Growers often seek affordable and accessible solutions to manage pests and diseases, as they can lower production costs and reduce income loss. There by developing and making accessible simpler cum cost effective disease and pest management technologies might help the coconut growers enhance their production as well as coconut farm returns. Labour scarcity addressing in coconut farming is also the need of the hour, so this can be done by developing simpler and accessible labour saving technologies like coconut climbing machineries and educating coconut growers about it might help in following good and recommended coconut cultivation practices likes pest and disease management there by enhancing yield and their farm returns. The important trends are in similarity with Rashmi (2018) [7] and Gulshan (2022) [8] . Some other miscellaneous suggestions expressed openly Some of the farmers also suggested to minimize the chemical application to the fields so that land degradation over the years can be reduced. Some of the farmers also suggested to provide them with training in Apiculture.

Conclusion

Thus, an understanding of the constraints and suggestions of the coconut growers underscores the significance of stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches in addressing the multifaceted challenges in coconut cultivation. By prioritizing stakeholders and through collaborative efforts between growers, policymakers, researchers and agricultural extension services, targeted interventions can be developed to provide practical solutions and empower coconut growers with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate obstacles effectively. Ultimately fostering resilience, innovation and sustainability within the coconut farming sector, we can pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for all stakeholders making coconut farming evergreen.

Figures and tables from the paper

Sl. No.	Constraints	Greater extent	—	Lesser extent	—	Not at all	—	Rank
		f	%	f	%	f	%
1.	Non-availability of climbers for carrying out plant protection and harvesting activities	98	81.67	14	11.67	8	06.66	I
2.	High labour wages	83	69.16	26	21.66	11	09.16	II
3.	Non-availability of labours timely	81	67.50	25	20.83	14	11.67	III
4.	Unskilled labour	71	59.16	27	22.50	22	18.33	IV

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Labour constraints faced by the coconut growers (n=120)

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1. World -Area, Production and Productivity of Coconut in Major Coconut Growing Countries; c2021 [Internet]. [cited 2024 Apr 29]. Available from: https://coconutboard.gov.in/Statistics.aspx
2. Coconut Area and production, coconut Statistics: Tumkur [Internet]. [cited 2024 Apr 28]. Available from: https://coconutboard.gov.in/presentation/statistics/statist ics.aspx
3. Priyanka R, Srivastava JP, Jahanara. Adoption behavior and constraints in adoption of organic farming practices of coffee plantation in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2018;7(3):3575-3577.
4. Copra prices crash by 31% over last six months in state [Internet]. [cited 2024 May 3]. Available from: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/copraprices-crash-by-31-over-last-six-months-in-state1180835.html