The Hindu Business Line : Coconut palms replantation at Rs 4,600-cr outlay

Kochi April 24 The Coconut Development Board will undertake replanting of coconut palms in a total area of 4.5 lakh hectares spread all over the country involving a total expenditure of Rs 4,600 crore.

Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said the scheme to replace senile and diseased palms would become operational in two-three months and would be completed in 10 years. Ninety per cent of the replanting would take place in Kerala, he said.

The Centre would provide Rs 1,400 crore, as subsidy while Rs 2,000 crore will have to come from the farmers, the Minister added.

CDB's proposal

The Minister said that the CDB had submitted a proposal to the Ministry suggesting that palm oil imports should not be allowed through the South Indian ports and imported coconut oil under Advance Licence should be fully re-exported.

It is under the consideration of the Ministry and, "I am sensitive to these suggestions," Mr Ramesh said.

Exports of all the commodities such as tea, coffee, spices, and coir and coir products have shown substantial increase during the last fiscal when compared to the previous fiscal, he said.

Tea exports have gone up to $480 million last fiscal from $385 million the previous fiscal. Similarly, coffee exports increased to $433 million from $350 million; spices from $471million to $680 million. Shipments of coir and coir products went up to Rs 595 crore from Rs 508 crore, the Minister added.

However, the Kerala Government has been taking a cold approach towards the plantation and coir sectors, Mr Ramesh pointed out.

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