Cocotech meeting in Kochi from July 2

Cocotech meeting of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) will be held in Kochi from July 2. Along-side the meeting, a Coconut Festival providing opportunity to showcase various value-added products, technologies and machinery from member countries will be arranged.

The theme of the meeting is ‘Inclusive growth and sustainable development of the coconut industry’.

Around 200 delegates, representing various countries, are expected to attend the five-day international meeting. Apart from APCC member countries, delegates from the US, Singapore and Brazil are attending the meeting.

Addressing a press conference here, TK Jose, chairman, Coconut Development Board (CDB) said that the meeting will cover a range of technical sessions and topics on the success stories of model coconut farmers and small to medium-scale coconut processors and entrepreneurs.

 

New technologies and research and development updates on coconut-based farming systems, product diversification and coconut processing, including the health attributes of coconut as well as developments in the marketing of coconut products, are other important aspects that are likely to come up for discussion.

The sessions also include a one-day field visit on July 5 by delegates to model coconut farms, coconut processing centres and interaction with progressive coconut growers from traditional coconut-growing states.

Issues and topics related to the global economic crisis, climate change as well as carbon credit market will also be discussed at the meeting. Experts from the scientific and corporate sectors will address the meeting as resources persons.