Question : PROCESSING AND MARKETING OF COCONUT WATER

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to promote the processing and marketing of tender coconut water and Coconut Water, NEERA and other value added products of coconut; and

(b) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI KANTI LAL BHURIA)

(a): Yes, Sir. Value addition in Coconut through product diversification and by-product utilization including marketing of tender coconut water and other value added products, is an important activity undertaken by the government through Coconut Development Board (CDB) to make the Indian Coconut Industry globally competitive.

(b): A technology for preservation and packing of tender coconut water in pouches and aluminum cans has been developed by the Coconut Development Board in collaboration with the Defense Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore. By using this technology the flavour of tender coconut water can be retained inpouches/aluminum cans for a period of three months under ambient conditions and six months to one year under refrigerated conditions.

The Government of India through CDB has financed 5 processing and preservation units of tender Coconut Water in the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal under Technology Mission on Coconut. The CDB also undertakes the promotional activities, through print and electronic media for promoting the tender coconut water and other coconut priducts like spray-dried coconut powder, desiccated coconut, coconut vinegar etc.

The Kerala Agricultural University has developed and standardized a technology for the preservation of Neera (Unfermented inflorescence sap), besides the production of palm sugar and honey etc. The GOI has already sanctioned a project for setting up of a Pilot Plant for packaging and preservation of NEERA by the Kerala Agricultural University with financial assistance of Rs.28.80 lakhs under Technology Mission on Coconut.