Coconut Development Board

• The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has launched ‘Hello Naariyal’ Friends of Coconut Trees (FoCT) call centre facility to help farmers with coconut harvesting and plant management operations.
• The initiative aims to improve the activities of the coconut sector by catering to the needs of coconut farmers in harvesting, coconut tree climbing, plant protection, seed nut procurement, nursery management, etc.
• Furthermore, the services will be extended to states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• There are 1,924 registered FoCTs for the call centre.
• The services will be available at block and grama panchayat levels in respective districts.
• It will function from the headquarters of the board in Kochi.

ABOUT CDB

• Coconut Development Board (CDB) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• It was established under the Coconut Development Board Act, of 1979 and the Board came into existence in 1981.
• Its mandate is the integrated development of coconut cultivation and industry in the country with focus on productivity increase and product diversification.