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Coconut growers seek steps to check price crash

Our Bureau

COIMBATORE, Aug. 10

COCONUT growers in the Pollachi belt in Tamil Nadu are likely to follow the Nilgiris tea growers' way if the Government fails to resolve their demands soon.

About 35,000 coconut growers from in-and-around Pollachi - the major coconut growing belt in this part of the country - took out a rally in Pollachi on Wednesday to press their charter of demands, which included among others a minimum procurement price o f Rs. 5/nut, distribution of coconut oil through fair price shops, hike in edible oils import duty to 100 per cent, removal of cess now being levied by the Coimbatore Market Committee etc., to avert a further crash in coconut prices.

Coconut prices have witnessed a crash in recent months from Rs. 4 to Rs. 5 per nut to a low of Rs. 2/nut. Cultivated in about 2.3 lakh acres in Coimbatore district, nut arrivals alone account for about 175 crores. Over 60 per cent of the nuts are being m arketed directly, while the rest is used in crushing. Pollachi, the prime coconut growing belt was severely afflicted by the eriophyid mite attack. While the nut yield loss was put at 15 to 20 per cent, the nut size had deteriorated by 30 to 40 per cent .

Mr. K.S. Balachandran, Vice-President, Pollachi Taluk Coconut Growers' Association, told Business Line, that the average copra yield had fallen from 150 kg per 1,000 nuts by 30 kg to 120 kg at present. ``This decline in copra yield is a cause for concern , particularly at this juncture'', he added.

Coconut farming has been the main stay for over 90 per cent of the growers in this region, who have been affected due to declining prices on the one hand and dumping of copra from other regions at unreasonably low rates on the other.

To enhance the nut utility value, the United Coconut Growers' Association of South India (UCGASI) has suggested the setting up of large-scale industrial units in Coimbatore, wherein, coconut would be the basic raw material.

While asking the Government to extend adequate finance to further its research activities at the Aliyar Coconut Research Station, the association has requested the setting up a district level office at Pollachi.

It demanded that the Government procure the nut from the farmer at Rs. 5/nut, to avert further crash and streamline coconut oil distribution through public distribution system.

It also demanded withdrawal of the two per cent sales tax levy on copra. The other demands included a subsidy of Rs. 50 for each tree affected by the mite, an enquiry into the copra procurement scandal, opening up of toddy shops etc.