The Coconut Development Board has started preliminary steps for identifying markets for coconut products in 63 cities in the country.
Even though export sector provides better income, the board is trying to explore the untapped domestic markets wherein product mix of value-added products such as packaged tender coconut water, coconut chips, desiccated coconut, virgin coconut oil, ice cream, coconut milk cream etc have good market potential.
T.K. Jose, Chairman, Coconut Development Board called upon farmers and stakeholders to make use of this opportunity fully.
He was addressing an investors’ meet in coconut processing sector in Kozhikode with the objective of setting up processing units in the proposed industrial park at Kuttiyadi.
KSIDC has already taken possession of 135 acres at Kuttiyadi for establishing ‘Kera Park’ and will allot land for potential entrepreneurs to start ventures in coconut sector.
According to Jose, land will be provided to interested entrepreneurs in the coconut bio-park which is going to be the first of its kind in the country. The board will extend processing technology along with 25 per cent subsidy from the Technology Mission on Coconut.
The marketing team of the board will identify new markets for value-added coconut products.
India lags in processing for value-addition even though the country holds the premium position in production and productivity. A small country like Sri Lanka which produces less than that of Kerala exports coconut products four times more than India, he added.
“In the last 10 years we could establish only 220 coconut processing units in India. But during the 12{+t}{+h} Plan period, the Board is planning to identify 200 entrepreneurs every year,” he said.
KSIDC in association with Coconut Development Board, Agriculture Department and Kerala Agriculture University organised the meet. The board has also plans to conduct investor’s meet in all major coconut growing States.