The Hindu : Summit helps coconut industry discuss problems threadbare

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Summit helps coconut industry discuss problems threadbare

By R. Ramabhadran Pillai

KOCHI MAY 25. `Keram' (coconut) is an inseparable part of the Keralite's nostalgia. Though the picture remains enchanting in the mind, the coconut has been losing its original prominence in the life of Keralites due to a variety of reasons. It is in this context that the International Coconut Summit, recently held in Kochi, assumes significance.

Whether the summit in which experts from coconut producing countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia participated, could achieve its aim is a moot question.

Of course, it became a platform for presenting various points of view apart from discussing different problems faced by the industry and exchanging key information on the latest developments in the field.

Two scores of papers were presented by eminent people associated with agriculture in general and coconut farming in particular. These papers dealt with themes as wide as threat from globalisation, contribution of women to the coconut industry, technologies for utilisation of coconut wood, cardiac effects of coconut products, coconut oil as automobile engine lubricant et al.

There were revelations that gave a new direction to the farming community. A typical example is the one on preservation of tender coconut for commercial use and export. The method as described by P. Sinchaisri, Director of Vegetable Oil and Products Research, Department of Agriculture, Bankok.

The tender coconut is trimmed and the bottom is flattened. It is then immersed in a solution of sodium metabisulphite (SMS) mixed with a fungicide. The process gives more shelf life to the product.

There are other curious innovations like burning of the tender coconut to sweeten its water as well as to enhance its flavour. According to Mr. Sinchaisri, burning is done by placing the whole tender coconut over the fire until the husk shows signs of burning.

After cooling, the husk is trimmed down to the shell. Finally, the nut is exposed to fire for a minute or so. It is then chilled to make its water more refreshing, sweeter and aromatic.

It is not only the tender coconut, but diversified products such as jam, coconut milk and chips have good potential for export.

One of the key markets was the Middle East. The Arab States buy almost 10 per cent of all foodstuffs traded globally, with the population spending almost 50 per cent of their income on food, according to Danilo M. Coronacion, administrator, Philippine Coconut Authority.

The population in the Middle East is growing by at least 2.5 per cent per annum. This apart, the demand base has been boosted by migrant labour from the Asian sub-continent. Kerala, having close ties with Middle East countries where a sizeable number of Malayalis reside, has yet to make a concerted effort to tap the market. Hopefully, the discussions at various levels and the interactions with business community would be helpful in making some fresh inroads in this regard.

Another interesting information that came from the foreign delegates was the use of monkey for plucking coconuts. The programme successfully being executed in some Far East countries could be tried elsewhere in case of unavailability of skilled labour in plucking the nut from the tall tree.

That the potential of the global market remained under-tapped was stressed by H.A. Tilekeratne, chairman, Coconut Development Authority.

Neither the total contribution of coconut products to global trade nor the volume of manufacture and export of coconut products in producing countries had shown any significant increase in recent years, according to him.

One of the major issues discussed at the summit was on the controversy regarding the health aspects arising out of the use of coconut oil. Observations recorded in many countries where coconut kernel and coconut oil form major dietary components have shown a longer life expectancy-at-birth of people than in countries with negligible intake of coconut products, says P.K. Thampan, former chief Officer, Coconut Development Board.

Though facts such as these were presented before an invited audience, the matter has yet to reach the layman, as K.I. Vasu, the chief organiser of the programme, remarked. The issue of palm oil being given reduction in excise duty to the detriment of coconut oil trade was also discussed at the meet. But whether these discussions made the desired impact remains to be seen. Until a receptive outlook emerges from the power centres, it will be just another hope for the coconut and its farmer.

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