THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Agriculture Minister V. S. Sunil Kumar has urged the central government to increase the support price of coconut and copra to Rs 9,725 per quintal. He discussed the matter with Central Agricultural Prices Commission chairman Dr. V. P. Sharma here on Tuesday along with officials of Coconut Development Board, Kerafed and Central Plantation Crops Research Institute.
Currently, the support price of copra is Rs 6, 770 per quintal. Mr Sunil Kumar wanted the coconut procurement price of Rs 25 to be increased to Rs 29.50. The price of ball copra will also be increased to Rs 10, 700, he told reporters. “As per the Economics and Statistics report, the production cost of a coconut is Rs 10.10 and processed copra is Rs 2,400 per quintal. We have recommended the support price of coconut and copra as per the difference between production and processed items,” said Mr Sunil Kumar.
Compared to other states, the productivity of coconut is less in the state as only 7,462 coconuts are produced from a hectare. The state government is planning to come out with a comprehensive coconut development scheme for the next 10 years. The minister may appoint a co-ordination committee from the Coconut Development Board, CPCRI, Kerala Agriculture University and allied research centres.
