Farmers seek change in tissue-cultured banana subsidy scheme

Coimbatore: Farmers have urged the Horticulture Department to review the subsidy scheme for tissue-cultured banana cultivation, citing mismatches between the scheme’s provisions and actual field requirements. Under the scheme, farmers receive 125 tissue-cultured banana plants per hectare for intercropping with coconut trees. However, farmers argue that this falls far short of the actual need for 1,000 plants per hectare. The 125 plant is not satisfactory, and it should be increased.

Balakrishnan, secretary of the Athikadavu-Kausika Development Committee’s farmers’ wing, said, “With around 170 coconut trees per hectare, the provision of just 125 banana plants is insufficient. We urge the government to increase the number of tissue-cultured bananas provided under the scheme based on field realities and scientific methods.”

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He also pointed out that most farmers prefer high-yielding quintal banana varieties, but the scheme supplies local tissue bananas instead. “Farmers should have the option to choose the variety and quality seedlings suitable for their soil. If the subsidy amount is provided directly to farmers as a back subsidy, they can select high-yielding varieties, which will increase their income,” he added.

Responding to these concerns, P. Siddharthan, Deputy Director of the Coimbatore Horticulture Department, explained, “The State Horticulture Development Scheme provides a 50% subsidy of Rs 10,000 per hectare for banana seedlings and intermediates. This support encourages farmers to intercrop bananas with coconuts. We will consider the farmers’ feedback to improve the scheme.”

Farmers hope that these changes will better align the subsidy scheme with their needs, enabling more effective intercropping and higher yields.