Discuss the impact of climate change on plantation crops in India, with special reference to coconut cultivation. What policy shifts are needed to ensure long-term sustainability of the sector?

Q. Discuss the impact of climate change on plantation crops in India, with special reference to coconut cultivation. What policy shifts are needed to ensure long-term sustainability of the sector? (15 marks, 250-350 words)

India is the world's largest coconut producer, accounting for about 30.37% of global output and supporting nearly 30 million livelihoods, including 10 million farmers [1]. For perennial, location-fixed plantation crops, climate change — not yield potential — is now the binding constraint.

Climate impact on plantation crops - Shifting suitability zones: erratic rainfall and warming are pushing traditional belts in coastal Kerala and Tamil Nadu toward marginal suitability, while CDB extends cultivation into Gujarat and Assam. - Yield and quality stress: heat stress and dry spells during flowering depress nut-set in coconut, arecanut and cocoa; recovery is slow since palms take years to bear. - Biotic pressure: warmer, humid conditions intensify pest and disease outbreaks such as coconut wilt on the west coast, destroying standing palms rather than merely lowering yields. - Livelihood shock: losses concentrate on small coastal farmers and on women in copra, oil and coir processing [1].

Limits of a productivity-first response - The Budget 2026–27 Coconut Promotion Scheme (₹350 crore, shared with cashew and cocoa) works mainly by replacing old palms with high-yielding saplings [1]. - Genotypes bred for favourable conditions may underperform in wilt-endemic or heat-stressed tracts, turning subsidy into stranded assets. - Support stays supply-side — seedlings and area expansion [2] — with weak market linkages.

Policy shifts needed - Resilience-first planting material: mass multiplication of wilt-tolerant and heat-tolerant varieties via ICAR–CPCRI, extending the national stress-tolerant varieties push to plantation crops [3]. - Zone-matched deployment: climate-suitability mapping to fix variety-to-region fit before subsidised distribution. - Beyond the farm gate: value addition and skill development for a climate-resilient coconut economy [2]. - Convergence: Centre–State coordination and stakeholder consultation in scheme rollout [4], with insurance cover for perennials.

Coconut's crisis is thus one of resilience, not of yield. A scheme redesigned around climate-adapted planting material, zone-specific extension and processing linkages would secure farm incomes and export ambitions alike — making India's coconut leadership durable, in keeping with its sustainable-agriculture mandate and SDG-13.

(~330 words)

Sources: 1. India Leads Global Coconut Production; Government Announces Coconut Promotion Scheme in Budget 2026-27, PIB — 30.37% global share, 30 million livelihoods, ₹350 crore outlay, old-palm replacement design 2. Coconut Development Board Launches Revised Schemes & Presents Export Excellence Awards on World Coconut Day, PIB — revised area-expansion/seedling assistance; climate-resilient coconut economy through value addition and skill development 3. Development of High-Yielding and Climate Resilient Crops, PIB — ICAR development of stress-tolerant crop varieties 4. National Stakeholders' Meet on Coconut Promotion Scheme, PIB — Centre–State convergence and stakeholder consultation for scheme rollout