New Delhi, Jun 23 (IANS): The Central government on Tuesday declared the minimum support price (MSP) for mature dehusked coconut for 2020 at Rs 2,700 per quintal, up by Rs 129 or 5.02 per cent from Rs 2571 per quintal during 2019.

As per a statement by the Agriculture Ministry, Union minister for agriculture & farmers' welfare, rural development and panchayati raj Narendra Singh Tomar said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has paid the utmost attention to the interests of farmers nationwide.

Tomar said that coconut being a small holders' crop, aggregation and arranging copra-making facility at the farmers' level is a rarity.

Though the MSP for milling copra is Rs 9,960 per quintal for the 2020 crop season, the declaration of a higher MSP for dehusked coconut ensures immediate cash to the small farmers, who are unable to hold the product and have insufficient facilities for copra-making.

This would be a relief to the coconut farmers who are already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent disruption in the supply chain, the statement said.