Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will participate in an important post-Budget discussion with our coconut-growing farmer brothers and sisters, and key stakeholders from the coconut sector at IIT Chennai on Saturday, March 7. During this interaction, he will present the government’s farmer-friendly vision and priorities in the context of the new ‘Coconut Promotion Scheme’ announced during Union Budget 2026-27. The programme, titled the ‘Post-Budget Coconut Stakeholders’ Conference’, is being organised by the Coconut Development Board. Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inaugurate the event as the chief guest and will engage in discussions regarding the future roadmap for increasing production, strengthening processing, and enhancing value addition in the coconut sector. Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be on a visit to Tamil Nadu on March 7, 2026 (Saturday). 

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will listen to the concerns and experiences of farmers, and will also seek their suggestions in order to make the ‘Coconut Promotion Scheme’ more farmer-friendly and practical in its implementation.
Following this interaction, the ‘Post-Budget Coconut Stakeholders’ Conference’ will be held from 3 pm onwards. This conference will bring together all major components of the coconut sector on a single platform, including farmers, processors, industry representatives, experts and officials of state governments. The conference is being organised by the Coconut Development Board under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, at IIT Chennai. During the event, he will also inaugurate exhibition stalls where innovations, modern technologies and value-added products related to the coconut sector will be showcased. These stalls will highlight the various possibilities for enhancing productivity, processing capacity and product diversification within the sector.

In his address, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inform stakeholders about the core philosophy, objectives and expected outcomes of the new ‘Coconut Promotion Scheme’ announced in the Union Budget 2026–27 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The scheme reflects the government’s broader commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector, increasing farmers’ income and promoting value-added agricultural products. Senior officials from the major coconut-producing states of southern India — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala — as well as from the Union Territory of Puducherry, will also participate in the programme. Their participation is expected to contribute to meaningful discussions on strategies for expanding coconut cultivation, improving processing infrastructure and encouraging innovation in the coconut industry. In the evening, a press interaction has also been scheduled at IIT Chennai, where Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan will interact with members of the media.

The visit of Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlights the farmer-centric policies of the Union government and its strong political will to advance the agenda of farmer welfare. In the context of the ‘Coconut Promotion Scheme’, the stakeholders’ conference is being seen as an important step towards ensuring the direct participation of farmers and regional stakeholders in the process of policy formulation.

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RC/PU/M