Farmer producer companies engaged in tapping and processing neera across the State have had a sales turnover of more than Rs. three crore since their operations began about three months ago.
Figures for the latest week from Coconut Development Board shows that Malappuram coconut producer company leads the way with a sale of nearly 93,492 litres of neera so far, earning Rs. 1.08 crore. The sales turnover is from neera and neera derivatives like palm sugar, palm honey and other value-added products.
Kaippuzha producer company in Kollam district comes a close second with a sale of nearly 89,525 litres and a turnover of more than Rs. 77 lakh. Palakkad company tapped a total of 57,201 litres of neera and sold the produce for more than Rs. 60 lakh.
The Malappuram company employs 148 neera technicians for tapping 984 palm trees. The Kaipuuzha company taps 790 palms using 80 technicians. The Palakkad company taps 471 palms using 37 technicians.
Coconut producer companies in Kuttiady, Kozhikode, Kochi and Thejaswini in Kozhikode are among the other leading companies in the business, a list from the Coconut Development Board said.
Coconut Development Board sources said that farmer producer organisations had succeeded in reviving the coconut economy through neera tapping and value addition.
They said that farmers, who have subscribed to equity in the producer companies, “received a fair amount” of their investments in return. It is estimated that about Rs. 50 crore have been invested by farmer producer companies in setting up neera processing facilities across the State.
A Board statement said that it was only three months since the 173 Coconut Producer Federations received their licences to start tapping neera. The licences were issued after Excise regulations were amended to bring the sweet sap of coconut flowers out of the purview of the more than 100-year-old Excise rules.
