The Coconut Development Board and the Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore, have jointly developed a technology for preserving and packing tender coconut water in pouches and aluminium cans.

Under the Technology Mission on Coconut, the board will provide financial assistance for setting up coconut-water processing units for production of value-added products at the rate of 25 per cent of the project cost, but not more than Rs 50 lakh. The assistance will be extended as credit-linked back-ended subsidy. Modernisation and expansion of existing processing units will also be eligible for assistance.

The technology helps retain flavour of the water in pouches or cans for three months at room temperature and for six months under refrigerated conditions.

At present, six units have been set up in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for commercial production. Another unit was established recently in Tamil Nadu. The board will charge a fee of Rs 3.5 lakh for technology transfer, a press release said.

For the loan, a project report about the coconut-processing unit should be submitted through a bank or financial institution. Besides, the board is also providing financial assistance for promoting tender coconut parlours, kiosks, outlets, etc. The board expects a surge in demand for natural tender-coconut water during the coming peak season, the release added.

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