Coconut Board to boost copra in state
The Coconut Development Board has initiated steps to popularise copra production in Kolkata.
By Ratna Ganguli, TNN |
KOLKATA: The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has initiated steps to popularise copra production in the state.
Realising its potential, the board’s eastern regional office has taken up the task of encouraging copra production on a commercial scale in the state with support from NGOs, agriculture universities and a few coconut oil producing companies.
Though the state’s annual coconut production is about 40 million, copra for milling purpose is not produced here due to the state’s fondness for drinking green coconut water.
Hence, more than 70% of the coconuts are plucked without allowing them to attain maturity. With no production of milling copra from internal sources, state-based oil companies bring in copra from south India and the Andaman &
Nicobar islands to meet their raw material requirements. About 60,000 tonne of copra is being brought into the state in a year.
CDB would first create awareness about the quality of the state’s coconuts on the basis of tests done by agriculture universities and agronomy departments of Jadavpur and Calcutta universities.
In its role as a technology facilitator, CDB will provide copra dryers to selective NGOs and train them on conversion of coconut into copra through the mechanical drying process.
It is also holding talks with local oil mills to experiment with making quality oil, using this copra on a pilot basis. A subsidy is available from CDB for buying process machinery to carry out such experiments.
CDB also intends to start a dialogue with various stakeholders on whether plantation of coconuts with higher oil content and better odour could be introduced on a commercial scale or under contract farming. If copra production can be initiated in the state, the board expects it will spawn coconut oil-based oleochemical units as downstream outfits.
Realising its potential, the board’s eastern regional office has taken up the task of encouraging copra production on a commercial scale in the state with support from NGOs, agriculture universities and a few coconut oil producing companies.
Though the state’s annual coconut production is about 40 million, copra for milling purpose is not produced here due to the state’s fondness for drinking green coconut water.
Hence, more than 70% of the coconuts are plucked without allowing them to attain maturity. With no production of milling copra from internal sources, state-based oil companies bring in copra from south India and the Andaman &
Nicobar islands to meet their raw material requirements. About 60,000 tonne of copra is being brought into the state in a year.
CDB would first create awareness about the quality of the state’s coconuts on the basis of tests done by agriculture universities and agronomy departments of Jadavpur and Calcutta universities.
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There is a misconception that coconuts produced here contain lesser oil than that available in southern states. It as been found that Midnapore products and those from some parts of Purulia have 60-65% oil content, which can be easily converted to copra with proper technological intervention, according to CDB (eastern region) director Sugato Ghosh. In its role as a technology facilitator, CDB will provide copra dryers to selective NGOs and train them on conversion of coconut into copra through the mechanical drying process.
It is also holding talks with local oil mills to experiment with making quality oil, using this copra on a pilot basis. A subsidy is available from CDB for buying process machinery to carry out such experiments.
CDB also intends to start a dialogue with various stakeholders on whether plantation of coconuts with higher oil content and better odour could be introduced on a commercial scale or under contract farming. If copra production can be initiated in the state, the board expects it will spawn coconut oil-based oleochemical units as downstream outfits.
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However, Eastern India Oil Industry & Trade Association president Ashok Sethia feels this industry will not get a boost unless the 12.5% VAT on the oil is removed.Too busy to trade in stocks? Invest in Mutual Funds with ET Money!
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