Kerala Industries Minister advocates for value addition and product diversification in coconut sector

Kerala Industries Ministers P Rajeeve has called for concerted efforts to develop a range of diversified value-added products from coconut, in addition to traditional products..

In his inaugural address at the World Coconut Day celebrations, the Minister highlighted Kerala’s role as a major producer of coconut and its products, particularly coconut oil.

He noted the rise of innovative products, such as coconut chips and nata-de-coco, which have significant potential in both domestic and global markets.

“We need to promote small scale industry for the production of such diversified products. Convergence of the schemes of the Government and Coconut Development Board will help in extending quality support to entrepreneurs in the coconut sector,” he said.

“The Board, Kerala Agricultural University and the State Agriculture Department should work towards developing suitable technology for the management of the major pests and diseases in coconut,” he added.

Kerala has launched an initiative to develop a brand, beginning with its traditional product, coconut oil.

Approximately six coconut oil processing units have been certified to use the Kerala Brand ‘Nanma,’ and these units now offer their products in the market.

These processing units source their raw materials exclusively from Kerala.

The Minister also noted that the Coconut Park at Kuttiadi will be functional soon and this is bound to improve the prospects for coconut sector.

T J Vinod, MLA, emphasised the importance of addressing the challenges faced by coconut farmers.

He highlighted the need for tailor-made programmes to ensure the sustained development of the coconut sector.

Regularly organised programs should serve as platforms to attract more entrepreneurs to coconut processing and value addition, he said.

For coconut cultivation to become a profitable enterprise and attract younger generations to farming, such measures are essential.

More than 500 farmers from the major South Indian States, entrepreneurs, processors, and officials from the State Department of Agriculture and Coconut Development Board attended the event.

Technical sessions on coconut cultivation and plant protection, value addition, market promotion and export were also held.