Mon May 26 12:36:47 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The East-Coast Coconut Farmers’ Association is advocating for the relocation of a proposed Bio-Control Laboratory for Rugose Spiralling Whitefly. Currently slated for Eachankottai, the association believes Veppankulam in Pattukottai taluk, Thanjavur district, would be a more strategic location. They argue Veppankulam’s proximity to major coconut-growing areas and existing infrastructure at the Coconut Research Station make it a more effective hub for serving farmers in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Pudukottai districts.

**News Article:**

**Coconut Farmers Push for Lab Relocation to Combat Whitefly Threat**

**THANJAVUR, May 26, 2025** – The East-Coast Coconut Farmers’ Association is urging the Tamil Nadu state government to reconsider the planned location of a crucial Bio-Control Laboratory designed to combat the Rugose Spiralling Whitefly, a pest devastating coconut crops.

Instead of the currently proposed site at Eachankottai in Orathanadu taluk, the association argues that Veppankulam in Pattukottai taluk, Thanjavur district, would be a more effective and accessible location for farmers.

In a memorandum submitted to the government, the association stated that Eachankottai, while housing the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Agricultural College and Research Institute, is not situated in a major coconut-growing region. They argue that relocating the lab to Veppankulam, home to the Coconut Research Station and strategically located amidst significant coconut producing taluks in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Pudukottai districts, would significantly benefit farmers in the region.

“The Coconut Research Station is already a central hub for coconut growers,” said a spokesperson for the association. “Relocating the lab there would leverage existing infrastructure and ensure the lab’s resources are readily available to those who need them most.”

The association hopes the government will reconsider its decision, prioritizing the location that best serves the needs of coconut farmers struggling with the ongoing threat of the Rugose Spiralling Whitefly.

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