As a measure to ensure long-time stability of coconut and copra prices, the Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission (KAPC) has recommended to the government to provide coconut oil as edible oil under the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Malnad and coastal districts.
Pointing out that several families in the region use coconut oil in cooking, the KAPC suggested that it is better to include it in PDS instead of the present palm oil. KAPC chairman T.N. Prakash Kammaradi told The Hindu that the move would benefit both coconut growers and the public. “While farmers would be assured of price stability, people will get quality cooking oil,” he said.
The commission also wants the government to consider using coconut and coconut oil procured directly from farmers in food security programmes such as midday meal schemes. It also recommended setting up a federation of pulse growers on the lines of the Karnataka Milk Federation. Dr. Kammaradi says formation of such a three-layered organisation on the lines of KMF would go a long way in not just linking pulse growers with consumers, but also improving their economic condition.
“Our aim is to help farmers move towards collective bargaining in the market so that they can become price-makers rather than price-takers,” Dr. Kammaradi said. This can happen only when the farmers are organised through a KMF-like federation which will have a strong hold on the market, he said.
With the prices of perishable commodities like tomato and onion frequently seeing a crash, the commission wants the government to arrest the trend during times of glut by procuring the produce for midday meals as well as hostels and jails.
“It is not just about procurement, but processing of the perishable produce to increase shelf life. We are in touch with experts from the processing sector to suggest ways of procuring tomato from markets that are facing glut of arrivals, and turning them into paste so that it can be kept for longer,” Dr. Kammaradi said.
