The Hindu Business Line : Kerafed to launch a range of products

KERALA Kerakarshaka Sahakarana Federation Ltd (Kerafed), the apex cooperative federation of coconut farmers in the State, will soon introduce a range of new products such as coconut milk, coconut milk powder and coconut chips.

Announcing this at a press conference in the city today, the company's Chairman, Mr N. Vasudevan, said Kerafed also plans to start procuring coconuts directly from coconut farmers in the State.

The coconuts obtained in this manner will be processed at the company's own facilities, he added. This project will initially be implemented in Kozhikode, but will soon be extended to two other coconut-processing factories owned by the company, he explained.

The company is also looking at improving the availability of its flagship — Kera — brand of coconut oil, said Mr Ashok Kumar Thekkan, Managing Director, Kerafed. It is also exploring the possibility of exporting desiccated coconut, he added.

Also on the cards is a project to help increase the State's output of tender coconuts, said Mr Vasudevan. Kerala's coconut farmers are unable to meet the growing demand for tender coconuts and are thus losing out on possible income, he explained.

In an effort to improve Kerala's tender coconut crop, Kerafed will supply farmers with saplings of high-yielding varieties of coconut, he added. These saplings, which are expected to be available in several months, will be grown at the company's own farm in Kochi.

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