Centre committed to promote coconut farming and allied industry: Minister

COIMBATORE: The central government is committed to promote coconut farming and allied industry, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Friday.
Addressing farmers at a meet organised by the Coconut Development Board at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here on Friday, he said the Centre would offer its support for establishing facilities for coconut processing. So far, 537 units have been supported by the Centre out of which 136 are located in Tamil Nadu.
Responding to the farmers' demand that coconut oil should be promoted, he said, “There are many kinds of oil that are being consumed in the country, and coconut oil has been in use for a very long time. Coconut oil production and its sales are happening across the country. There is no doubt that consumption of coconut oil needs to be increased but the usage depends on the consumers.”
Coconut is currently cultivated in an area of 4.44 lakh hectares in the state. Production of coconut in the state is 5,128.2 million nuts with a productivity of 11,526 nuts per ha. The state contributes to about 21 % of area under coconut cultivation and 26 % of coconut production in India and stands first in coconut processing activities. Coimbatore ranks the top position in area under coconut with 88,467 ha, he said.
The production of coconut in India during 2021-22 was 19,247 million nuts which accounts for more than 31% of the global production, he said.
Export of coconut products excluding coir products during the year 2021-22 touched Rs 3,236.83 crore recording an increase of about 41% over the previous year, he said.
Total export including coir reached Rs 7,577 crore which shows the importance of coconut to Indian economy, he added.
Tamil Nadu agriculture minister M R K Panneerselvam said the state government would raise to the Centre the farmers' demands for increasing the procurement price of copra to Rs 150 per kg and procurement throughout the year.
“There is a demand from farmers that coconut oil should be distributed through ration shops. I will talk to the food minister and check the possibility of distribution. In Kerala, people consume coconut oil regularly but there is fear in other places that it is not good for the heart. We will take steps to dispel it,” he said.