New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) India’s largest farmers’ cooperative will collaborate with the Coconut Development Board (CDB) to market select value-added coconut products inside the country and abroad under the NAFED brand.
A tripartite agreement to this effect is expected to be signed in the next fortnight by NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd), the CDB and the coconut product processors. The three parties held a meeting here Wednesday to fine-tune the details.
‘The move is designed to substantially help a large number of unorganised, small-scale processors of coconut products in the leading coconut growing states by finding proper market both in India and overseas,’ NAFED said in a statement.
The cooperative will source the products from the small-scale processors in the coconut-growing states. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, West Bengal, Maharashtra and the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the major coconut growing areas in the country.
‘The coconut production in the country has gone up considerably and thousands of entrepreneurs are engaged in processing of attractive coconut products. But being small-scale units, they find it difficult to get a regular market for their items,’ said NAFED Managing Director C.V. Ananda Bose.
‘NAFED, which has placed the coconut products as priority, will extend its able arm in the post-harvest management area,’ he said, adding ‘the proposed agreement is a big step towards this goal.’
NAFED and the CDB have already held meetings with the processors and picked up 100 units to begin with, besides identifying products like coconut milk, water, oil, vinegar, shell-based products and cakes for both domestic and export markets.
The CDB, which is equipped with experts and technology, will be responsible for ensuring high quality of the products.
The marketing and exports will begin within a month.
‘The products under the NAFED brand will be made available across its own retail networks as well as outlets of the member federations. Besides, the products will be exported to the potential markets in the Gulf and Europe,’ the statement said.
‘Initially, the pan-India marketing will be launched in Delhi and the products will be on display in the NAFED outlets. About 100 processors have already been selected for the first phase on a trial basis and it will be extended further to include more processors,’ Bose said.
NAFED will make use of its all resources in India and abroad to promote the products of these processors.
‘It will levy only a small service charge as it is an endeavour to help the small-scale processors,’ said Bose, who is also the chairman of the CDB.
