Kerala’s agriculture sector is moving faster than the national curve. At the State-level Farmers’ Day celebrations on August 17, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Kerala clocked 4.65% growth in farm output last year, compared to the national average of just 2.15%.
He attributed the momentum to focussed interventions, including Mission 2026 for short-term targets and Mission 2033 for long-term development goals.
Farm productivity has shown visible improvements. Paddy yields have risen to 3,108 kg per hectare, while coconut cultivation reported a 54% growth under the Keragramam project.
Coconut procurement, according to the Chief Minister, increased from 6.28 lakh tonnes to 17.20 lakh tonnes during the current government’s term.
Even with these gains, challenges remain. Climate change, market uncertainties and the growing threat of wild animal attacks continue to affect farming.
To counter climate risks and promote value-added production, Kerala is rolling out the ₹2,365-crore KERA project with World Bank support. Claimed to be the Bank’s biggest agricultural project in 40 years, it is expected to directly support four lakh farmers and indirectly reach another ten lakh.
Technology is increasingly part of Kerala’s farm story. Over 150 agri-tech start-ups have already emerged in the State. Initiatives like ‘One Krishi Bhavan, One Value-Added Product’ have helped more than 200 farm goods find a place as branded products in the market.
The government also acknowledged that curbing wild animal attacks cannot be managed by the State alone. Timely amendments to Central laws are needed, and the matter has been taken up with the Union government. Meanwhile, Kerala has introduced its own projects to manage the problem.
The broader aim, the chief minister said, is to blend traditional farming methods with modern practices so that agriculture remains sustainable in the years to come