The prevailing drought has brought acute distress upon coconut farmers in Karnataka, who were already affected by the falling price of copra. Water scarcity has led to crop wilting in Tumakuru and Chitradurga districts, leaving farmers anxious about saving their coconut plantations. The delay in copra procurement by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has further added to their woes. Many farmers are buying water to save their plantations as borewells in large tracts have dried up.
The problems faced by coconut farmers were raised during the legislature session by Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress members. However, it has not received much attention as an election issue, even though copra procurement is connected to the central government.
Farmers have reported losses due to the delayed copra procurement, as extreme heat has reduced the weight of copra. Traders and middlemen played a role in the previous procurement process, causing its cancellation. This resulted in a crash in prices from ₹15,000 per quintal to less than ₹7,500 per quintal in 2023. Maheshwaraiah, a farmer from Tiptur, highlighted the financial burden of sinking borewells and the failure of existing wells, leading to wilting coconut palms.
Nevertheless, the NAFED has finally decided to procure 70,000 tonnes of copra from Karnataka at ₹12,000 per quintal, while the state government is offering ₹1,500 per quintal. This year, copra procurement began in April and is expected to continue for the next six months in multiple centres, collecting 200 quintals daily to prevent a rush. Each farmer is eligible to sell up to 15 quintals, compared to 20 quintals last year. Around 58,000 farmers in Karnataka have registered for the support price, as the state is the largest supplier of edible copra in India.
Farmers have also expressed concerns about the manipulation of copra prices by traders in the regulated Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC). Traders bid at low prices in the APMC, which becomes a standard price outside as well. However, the issue has been resolved. Despite the current price of copra being ₹9,300 per quintal in the open market, it is expected to exceed ₹10,000 per quintal soon.
The falling copra prices and the prevailing dry spell and water scarcity have left farmers in a dire situation. They are spending more than ₹1,000 per water tanker to save their crops. The relief package of ₹2,000 provided by the state government is not sufficient to cover their expenses. Farmers’ savings are running out as they strive to irrigate their fields and prevent further losses. The lack of rain is also threatening the survival of coconut plantations in several districts.
The distress faced by coconut farmers in Karnataka calls for immediate attention and support from the government to ensure the survival and sustainability of this vital agricultural sector.
