As part of review of the activities of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in coconut sector, Additional Secretary, Agriculture, Government of India,  Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi IAS visited  Theeradesa Nalikera Utpadaka Federation, Ezupunna  in Alapuzha District  and interacted with farmers. He assured all support  to the Federation to form a company  as per provisions in the new Central Sector Scheme ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisation.  
Dr. Likhi observed that the three tier pyramidal structure of FPOs promoted by the Coconut Development Board (CDB), was innovative, considering the charitable nature of lower level collectives and the formation of Company under Companies Act, at Apex Level.  The Coconut Producers Society (CPS) at the grass root level, Coconut Producers Federation (CPF) at the intermediate level and Coconut Producers Company(CPC) at the apex level enables more participation and involvement of farmers to form smaller groups and plan activities at different levels based on the level of farmer collectives.  Logical scaling up of CPF to Producer Companies will ensure sustainable income, brand building, market development, product diversification, processing and export.
The Theeradesa Nalikera Utpadaka Federation is a consortium of 8 Coconut Producer Societies in the village.  It is involved in various activities as envisaged in the three tier system.  The various schemes of the Coconut Development Board are implemented through the Federation.  761 farmers are members of the Federation.  They have 41722 palms with a productivity of nearly 11 Lakh nuts per year.  
Dr. Likhi interacted with the Coconut farmers regarding the implementation of schemes and programs of various central agencies under Agriculture Ministry.  He emphasized the need by Coconut Development Board/State Government to ensure extensive publicity of the work being done by the apex Coconut Federation. He also asked the State Government to take all requisite steps to ensure that the benefits of all agricultural schemes, programmes and projects reach the intended target beneficiaries.  Dr. Likhi later had a review meeting of Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare at Coconut Development Board, Kera Bhavan, SRV Road, Ernakulam.  The officials of Coconut Development Board (CDB), Directorate of Cocoa and Cashew Development (DCCD), Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI) Mission Director, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Kerala, Director, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Director (Seeds), ADC, Mechanization and Technology (M&T), Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), also participated in the meeting.

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