World Coconut Day celebrated at Uparhali, Bijoynagar

GUWAHATI: On the occasion of World Coconut Day on Wednesday, a day-long programme was organized in the farmers' field at Uparhali, Bijoynagar under Kamrup District by All India Coordinated Research Project on Palms, Horticultural Research Station (HRS), Kahikuchi Guwahati. The programme included tree plantation, awarnesss generation, training and farmer-scientist interaction.

At the beginning of the programme, planting of coconut seedlings was done in the campus premises of the society. Addressing the gathering during the inaugural session of the programme, Dr. JC Nath, Principal Investigator of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Palms, HRS, Kahikuchi deliberated on the significance and importance of observing the "World Coconut Day", Industrial uses of coconut, post harvest management and product diversification of coconut on order to make its cultivation more remunerative for the farming community. In the training programme, Rinku Moni Phukon, Scientist, AICRP on Palms elaborated the procedure for selection of mother palm to get quality seed nut, method of planting of coconut seedling and fertilizer application of coconut and also briefed about other improved production technology of coconut. Dr. S. Pathak, Principal Scientist, Narrated about the various diseases and pest management in coconut.

Various queries of the participants regarding coconut cultivation were lucidly elaborated by the scientists during the interaction session which included issues such as nursery management, planting method, Neera production and disease and pest management, stated a release.