The State government will initiate various projects to assist coconut growers, Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan has said.
Speaking after inaugurating ‘Onakkazhchakal,' a vegetable fair organised by the Agriculture Department here on Friday, the Minister said various schemes would also be implemented to increase the popularity of coconut-based products.
The government would offer assistance to entrepreneurs to produce coconut-based products to ensure its availability in the world market. The objective was to make such products more popular and make them available to people at affordable rates, he said.
There was concern over nuts fetching low prices for growers. The production of coconut-based, value-added products would change the situation, he said. Soft drinks made from tender coconut would be marketed in the State. The government would launch these projects by next year, The Minister said.
The department had open fair-price shops to ensure availability of vegetable and meat during the Onam season at rates lower than that in the open market, Mr. Mohanan added.
