News Desk. A new option in farming has emerged for the farmers of Bihar. Now there are preparations to promote coconut cultivation in the plain areas of the state also. For this, the areas around Ganga in Buxar have been selected. The Agriculture Department and the Coconut Development Board are working together on a plan to connect farmers with coconut farming.

The price of the plant will be very low after subsidy

Under the government scheme, the price of coconut plant has been kept at Rs 85. After getting 75 percent government assistance at this price, the farmer will have to pay only Rs 21.25. That means farmers can start planting orchards at low cost. In the scheme, there is a provision for a farmer to buy from 5 to 712 plants. About 178 plants can be planted in one hectare of land.

Production will start after waiting for a few years

Coconut cultivation does not provide immediate income, but after the plants are ready, production can be obtained for a long time. Generally plants can start bearing fruits between 4 to 6 years. Given good care and favorable weather, one tree is expected to produce about 100 to 150 coconuts in a year. For this reason, it is being considered as a long-term earning option for farmers.

Additional assistance up to Rs 350 on one plant

Coconut Development Board will also help the farmers in promoting coconut cultivation. Under the prescribed rules, there is a provision to provide assistance of up to Rs 350 per plant to the eligible farmers in two phases. This may reduce the financial burden on farmers in the initial years after planting.

Farmers showed tremendous interest in Buxar

The response of farmers regarding the government scheme has also been encouraging. The department had initially set a target of planting 1600 saplings in Buxar district. But the interest of the farmers was so high that applications for about 2200 plants were received. That means more farmers have shown interest in this scheme than the set target.