The Hindu Business Line : Central aid for coconut industry

THE Union Government has sanctioned Rs 213 crore for 105 projects so far under the Technology Mission on coconuts launched for the coconut industry, said Ms Minnie Mathew, Chairperson, Coconut Development Board.

The Board had taken up around 25 projects under the Technology Mission and contributed Rs 19.75 crore that covers four areas such as pests and disease management, processing and products diversification, market research, technical support, she said. The Board will soon conduct a deep impact study to assess the efficacy of the projects to control mite disease in coconuts.

The Board proposes to make an evaluation of the disease control measures it had taken up in the wake of the widespread mite attack on coconut trees across the country, she added.

As a result of the diseases, she said, productivity in Kerala has come down compared to neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. She pointed out that the production in the State is 5,895 million nuts per hectare which represents 44 per cent of the country's total production of 12,000 million nuts. It is 8,270 nuts per hectares in Tamil Nadu and 11,000 nuts in Andhra Pradesh.

The Board has also initiated steps to educate farmers on better agriculture practices through integrated farming and removal of diseased plants. She said the Board is setting up two Analytical and Microbiolgical laboratories at Vazhakullam near here and in Bangalore in its drive to ensure quality of coconut products, especially coconut oil. The investments for the laboratories would be Rs 1 crore.

Ms Mathew said the Board has made significant achievements in expanding the area under coconut, increasing the availability of quality planting materials, management of pests and diseases, development of technologies for product diversification and by-product utilisation, widening the market for various coconut products especially in North India, increasing the consumption of coconut oil and tender coconut etc.

The Board's efforts at promoting product diversification and product development have started yielding positive results in terms of price stabilisation, she added.

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