Kerala - Kochi   

Network to promote use of coconut mooted

KOCHI: A network of coconut producing and consuming nations should be created globally for protecting the coconut farmers and promoting coconut oil, Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said.

Speaking at the State conference of the Kera Karshaka Sangom here on Tuesday, Mr. Ratnakaran said that the State government would take the initiative for forming such an alliance. There should also be an understanding among these nations not to compete with each other and to exchange technologies for producing value-added products, he said.

Mr. Ratnakaran suggested that 2008 be observed as coconut year for promoting the use of coconut and coconut oil. The developed countries were marketing the edible oils produced by their farmers and were unleashing campaigns against the use of coconut oil. At the same time, the coconut farmers were not able to counter the campaign and market their products effectively, Mr. Ratnakaran pointed out.

The Minister, along with Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams, K.V. Thomas, MLA, and Mini Mathew, chairperson of the Coconut Development Board, took pledge with the coconut farmers for protecting the coconut farming.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Mahabir Prasad: Centre to boost enterprises in unorganised sector
Network to promote use of coconut mooted
Kalady rice mills cluster exceptional, says expert
Toxic dumping: Tamil Nadu seeks Kerala’s help
College told to refund extra fee
GCDA for impact assessment study
Panel sitting on fish workers’ debt Bill
21 injured in fire at SEZ
FACT begins trading of fertilisers
Coconut farm clusters to be promoted, says Minister
Time frame set for handing over land
Land acquisition to commence soon
Isaac to inaugurate second phase of project
Kochi Today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu