Event to promote coffee as alternative crop in Sullia on August 25: Capt. Chowta

MP for Dakshina Kannada Capt. Brijesh Chowta speaking at a press conference at BJP party office in Mangaluru on Saturday.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

In order to promote coffee as an alternative crop in areas where arecanut plantations are affected by ‘Yellow Leaf disease’ in Dakshina Kannada district, an event called ‘KaapiCo’ will be held in Sullia on Monday (August 25), said MP for Dakshina Kannada Capt. Brijesh Chowta here on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Capt. Chowta said, “Belthangady, Sullia, Kadaba, and Puttur taluks have more cases of ‘Yellow Leaf Disease’ that afflicts arecanut plantations. The farmers, for long, have been demanding a solution to the disease that seriously affects the growth of arecanut trees.

The Horticulture Department has done a study in which it was found that these four taluks were conducive to growing coffee. “I have taken initiative to hold the KaapiCo programme to promote coffee as an alternative crop to arecanut,” Capt. Chowta said.

Apart from the Coffee Board, representatives of NABARD and 7 Bean Team from Sakleshpur, which is into integrated agriculture practice, will participate in the programme. MLA Bhagirathi Muruly will take part in it.

He said that he was also keen on promoting oil palm as another alternative crop for arecanut.

During the monsoon session of Parliament that concluded recently, Capt. Chowta said a high-level meeting of MPs from Karnataka with officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry was held in New Delhi to discuss about various issues related to arecanut. He has apprised Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about the need for payment of one time compensation to farmers whose crops were affected by the ‘Yellow Leaf Disease.’

Capt. Chowta spoke about the need of a detailed survey of the arecanut plantation in the region. He has stressed on the development of new arecanut saplings using tissue culture and medicine for the disease.

Mr. Chouhan has assured of visiting the region shortly to have first hand view of situation, he added.