The Centre has called upon coconut farmers to leverage the benefits of the ‘Make in India’ campaign to capture the global market for coconut products.
The Government’s campaign offers enormous prospects for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO’s) in the coconut sector to tap the overseas markets.
Delivering the inaugural address at the 51{+s}{+t} Asia Pacific Coconut Community meeting here on Monday, Mohanbhai Kalyanji Bhai Kundariya, Minister of State for Agriculture, pointed out the total foreign exchange earnings from this crop has gone up to ₹2,632 crore in 2013-14 against ₹2,318 crore in 2012-13. FPO’s, according to the Minister, could play the lead role in increasing the production and productivity, augmenting production of good quality planting material, better bi-product utilisation and value addition through marketing and exporting.
The Minister also urged coconut growing countries to extend a helping hand to coconut farmers in less developed countries, as over 20 million people across the world including in India depend on coconut for their livelihood.
Though the expertise for cultivation and product processing has improved substantially, the benefits of improved technology are not reaching down to the coconut farmers.
Efforts should be directed towards improving the farmers’ share in monetary terms, he added. Uron N Salum, Executive Director, APCC, complimented the Coconut Development Board for taking up the initiative of farmer producer organisation (FPO) in India and requested all the participating countries to apply this concept as well. APCC countries produce around 55 billion nuts a year and export more than 33 million tonnes of coconut products including coir.
Speaking on the occasion, K Babu, Kerala Excise Minister, said that the commencement of neera production will boost not only coconut sector but also the State’s economy, as it will help increase the growers’ income.
India looks forward to the sharing of knowledge, technology and experiences with all the 18 member countries during the five-day session, TK Jose, Chairman, Coconut Development Board said.