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Posted 3:00 PM by Luigi

Sustainable coconut based intercropping for more income

From The Hindu's Farmers Notebook.

INTER-CROPPING coconut gardens with vegetables, pulses, tuber crops, fruit crops such as banana and pineapple makes for sustainable farming, according to Dr. V. Rajagopal, Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasargod, Kerala.

While vegetables and pulse crops fetch good returns as intercrops in coconut gardens in a short span of time, banana can provide income particularly in the initial stages of the coconut plantations, according to him.

"Usually farmers prefer to grow a variety of intercrops in the coconut gardens as growing coconut alone as a monocrop is not viable, as farmers have to wait a minimum of four years (in the case of dwarf varieties) to realise a good profit," he said.

Growing vegetable and banana between the coconut trees can supplement income in the developing stages of the coconut palms, according to Rajagopal.

Mulching material

"Also the leaves of vegetables and banana can be effectively used as a green mulching material for the coconut palms to enhance nut productivity", he said.

Mr. K. Kunhambu Maniyani, a progressive farmer of Kasaragod district of Kerala has recently won the best farmer award presented by the International Plant Genetic Resources (IPGRI) and Coconut Genetic Network (COGENT) for effective intercropping of vegetables and pulse crops in his coconut garden.

Space utilisation

Mr. Maniyani, a model farmer who is practising the concept of coconut based intercropping for higher income has effectively utilised the interspace in his coconut garden for raising different vegetable and pulses as intercrops.

In his 0.88 hectares, Mr. Maniyani grows local west coast tall coconut variety as the main crop. There are about 110 coconut palms out of which 75 are in bearing. This coconut variety "is well adapted to the local climate of Kerala and the average yield of the tree is about 80 nuts every year," said Dr. Rajagopal.

By adopting intensive intercropping with crops such as banana, tapioca, cowpea and bhendi (lady's finger) in his coconut garden, Mr Maniyani has been able to get a net income of Rs.10,000 -12,000 every year.

The coconuts, after domestic use, are sold as raw nuts in the local market, according to Maniyani.

He has also been growing tapioca as intercrop in about 0.5 acres, which fetches him a return of Rs.3,000 every year.

"In my personal experience nendran variety of banana can be profitably cultivated as an intercrop in coconut gardens in the early phase of coconut growth," Maniyani said.

He is presently cultivating about 75 nendran banana plants in 0.25 acres. "The average yield of banana obtained is about 10-12 kg per plant. Banana intercropping fetches me an income of Rs.6,400 every year," he said.

Vegetables such as bhendi and cowpea fetch an income of Rs. 1,000 every year.

Fertilizer application

Mr. Maniyani said that he applies only organic manures to his coconut palms. But he applies both chemical fertilizers and organic manures to his nendran banana plants and vegetables.

He has also accommodated a few arecanut trees in between the coconut palms.



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INTER-CROPPING coconut gardens with vegetables, pulses, tuber crops, fruit crops such as banana and pineapple makes for sustainable farming, according to Dr. V. Rajagopal, Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasargod, Kerala. While vegetables and pulse crops fetch good returns as intercrops in coconut gardens in a short span of time, banana can provide income particularly in the initial stages of the coconut plantations, according to him. "Usually farmers prefer to grow a variety of intercrops in the coconut gardens as growing coconut alone as a monocrop is not viable, as farmers have to wait a minimum of four years (in the case of dwarf varieties) to realise a good profit," he said. Growing vegetable and banana between the coconut trees can supplement income in the developing stages of the coconut palms, according to Rajagopal. Mulching material "Also the leaves of vegetables and banana can be effectively used as a green mulching material for the coconut palms to enhance nut productivity", he said. Mr. K. Kunhambu Maniyani, a progressive farmer of Kasaragod district of Kerala has recently won the best farmer award presented by the International Plant Genetic Resources (IPGRI) and Coconut Genetic Network (COGENT) for effective intercropping of vegetables and pulse crops in his coconut garden. Space utilisation Mr. Maniyani, a model farmer who is practising the concept of coconut based intercropping for higher income has effectively utilised the interspace in his coconut garden for raising different vegetable and pulses as intercrops. In his 0.88 hectares, Mr. Maniyani grows local west coast tall coconut variety as the main crop. There are about 110 coconut palms out of which 75 are in bearing. This coconut variety "is well adapted to the local climate of Kerala and the average yield of the tree is about 80 nuts every year," said Dr. Rajagopal. By adopting intensive intercropping with crops such as banana, tapioca, cowpea and bhendi (lady's finger) in his coconut garden, Mr Maniyani has been able to get a net income of Rs.10,000 -12,000 every year. The coconuts, after domestic use, are sold as raw nuts in the local market, according to Maniyani. He has also been growing tapioca as intercrop in about 0.5 acres, which fetches him a return of Rs.3,000 every year. "In my personal experience nendran variety of banana can be profitably cultivated as an intercrop in coconut gardens in the early phase of coconut growth," Maniyani said. He is presently cultivating about 75 nendran banana plants in 0.25 acres. "The average yield of banana obtained is about 10-12 kg per plant. Banana intercropping fetches me an income of Rs.6,400 every year," he said. Vegetables such as bhendi and cowpea fetch an income of Rs. 1,000 every year. Fertilizer application Mr. Maniyani said that he applies only organic manures to his coconut palms. But he applies both chemical fertilizers and organic manures to his nendran banana plants and vegetables. He has also accommodated a few arecanut trees in between the coconut palms. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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