Coconut board to market value-added products

The projects on the anvil include promoting 100 tender coconut units, 5 virgin coconut oil enterprises, 100 desiccated coconut manufacturing companies and 50 chips making units

The Coconut Development Board (CDB) is planning to explore markets for seven coconut-based products through 63 cities under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The basket includes packaged tender coconut water, virgin coconut oil, milk powder and cream, desiccated coconut powder, ball copra, coconut chips and pure coconut oil.

Demand for these products had been identified based on a consumer acceptability study conducted in metros and through Board’s participation in exhibition and fairs in major cities. The projects on the anvil include promoting 100 tender coconut units, 5 virgin coconut oil enterprises, 100 desiccated coconut manufacturing companies and 50 chips making units through JNNURM cities during the current financial year.

The board had already supported 200 processing units under financial assistance of CDB through technology mission on coconut (TMOC). The board plans to market these products in a phased manner, and during the first phase, it could market in seven cities with over four million populations at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

Developing markets for value-added products enhance the price of coconut up to Rs 20 per nut according to the new marketing strategy of the board. The CDB is trying to sell the products through supermarkets, malls, emporia, big stalls and outlets run by the consortia of coconut farmers.