A business delegation from the Pollachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited Coconut Development Board here. The 28-member delegation was here to explore the potential of product diversification and value-addition in coconut.

Briefing the activities of the Board, T.K. Jose, chairman, called upon the farmers to work in unison enabling Pollachi to be made the Town of Excellence in exports during the 12th Plan period.

The Board has already represented the Tamil Nadu Government to provide 25 per cent capital subsidy to coconut processing units over and above the 25 per cent subsidy provided by the Coconut Development Board under the Technology Mission on coconut, he said.

Bio-parks mooted

The Chairman also suggested having coconut bio-parks in at least six districts in Tamil Nadu which are having 20,000 hectares or above area under coconut cultivation.

Emphasising the need for value-addition, he pointed out that there is much scope for production of value-added products such as packaged tender coconut water, virgin coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut milk powder, desiccated coconut, coconut shell powder, activated carbon and shell charcoal.

Since tender coconut water has high demand, more farmers must come forward to take up projects on packed tender coconut water, he added.

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