In a bid to replant and rejuvenate the country's coconut plantations, the government has outlined an investment of Rs 4,700-crore in the next 10-15 years. | |
| According to Kerala's commerce and industry minister Jairam Ramesh, 400,000 hectares across the coconut producing states in south India would be replanted. |
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| Around 33 per cent of the total investment required would come from the central government's coffers while the rest would be mobilised through banks and financial institutions. |
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| Addressing the inaugural session of the India International Coir Fair [IICF] today, Ramesh said, "India's coconut productivity is low as replanting has not been initiated in a big way during last 40-50 years." |
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| "As the coir industry is dependent on coconut plantations, the replanting is essential. Hence the government has initiated such a big commitment to replant the plantations." |
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| The minister said that the government would also earmark Rs 100 crore towards modernisation of the coir industry for technology upgradation. |
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| The government has chalked out a plan to upgrade coir looms with an investment of Rs 240 crore. While Rs 130 crore would be raised from banks, Rs 110 crore would be collected from various stake holders of the industry. |
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| "The government had already approved Alleppy Coir as a geographic indication like Darjeeling Tea and planned to register the brand with the European Union [EU] for better marketing of |
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| Indian coir products." Developing new markets for coir and coir-based products and branding will give a major leap to the industry. "Coir geo textiles can be utilised in a big way for making roads and this will give an impetus to the industry," he said. |
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| He also said that Kerala's Alappuzha district, where the coir industry mainly exists, will be developed as a town of export excellence. Cluster-based industrial units have already been started there and the government has allotted Rs 40 crore for the purpose. |
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| The domestic coir market should also be developed as 70 per cent of the total production is marketed in India. "The industry should be driven by market and technology, not be driven by subsidies," he added. |
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| The government will invest Rs 4,700 crore over the next 10-15 years to replant coconut trees mainly in the South |
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| Around 33 per cent of the investment would come from the Centre's kitty while the rest would be mobilised through financial institutions |
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| Coir industry to be direct beneficiary of the spend with Rs 240 crore earmarked for coir looms |
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