Other Information from our side...

Kisan Call Centre

Modern Copra Dryers

Price Support Scheme

World Coconut Day - 2nd September - every year

Coconut Products / Machinery Directory

A. Kissan Call Centre

Toll Free Telephone Calls are now available on agriculture related queries through Kisan Call Centers. The Coconut Development Board is the Nodal Agency for the Kisan Call Centers, at Chennai, Bangalore and Kochi, launched in 12 locations in the country. Kisan Call Centre toll free phone number is 1551(BSNL landline) or 1800-180-1551 (all other mobile phone or landline) all over India. The objective of Kisan Call Centers is to leverage the extensive telecom infrastructure available in the country to develop extension services. The farmer will get answer through queries related to farming sector in local language from the experts of Agriculture / Horticulture Departments, State Agricultural Universities, ICAR institutions etc.

The states of Kerala and UT of Lakshadweep is under the Kisan Call Centre at Kochi, the state of Karnataka is under Bangalore KCC and the states of Tamil Nadu and UT of Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is under the Chennai Kisan Call Centre. The Coconut Development Board through its headquarters and field level officers will coordinate and monitor the functioning of the call centers.

Kisan Call Centre - Other Links

http://agricoop.nic.in/PolicyIncentives/kisanCallfirst.htm

http://www.manage.gov.in/kisan/default.htm

B. Modern Copra Dryers

In the modern drier coconut cups can be converted into copra in 16-32 hours even during the rainy season. In these driers the heat generated by burning coconut shell and other farm wastes is used to dry raw coconut cups into copra. Since smoke does not come into contact with coconut cups or copra and the process of drying starts immediately after splitting the nuts, the copra produced is of high quality which fetches premium price than the ordinary sun dried or kiln dried copra for which a minimum 8-9 days are required to bring down the moisture to the required level. In the small drier of batch type (natural drought type), coconut husks and other agriculture wastes are used as fuel. Its capacity ranges between 400-3000 nuts per day and it takes 36-48 hours to process coconuts into copra. There are also big dryers of induced drought type with capacity ranging between 10,000 and 25,000 nuts and even beyond, to dry coconuts into copra or dry copra further to bring down the moisture level to the required level. Coconut shells are used as fuel in such dryers.

Now in India waste heat recovery technology is available. In this technology the shell fed as fuel is only carbonized and the heat generated by burning the producer gas from the carbonizer is used to dry coconuts into copra. Besides well dried copra good quality shell charcoal and shell oil are obtained in the process.

Application Form for Grant in Aid for Introduction of Modern Copra Dryer

List of approved Modern Copra Dryer Manufacturers

Coconut Products / Machinery/ Copra dryer Directory

C. Price Support Scheme

National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (NAFED) is the central nodal agency for the procurement of milling and ball copra under price support scheme of the Government of India. The price support scheme is basically to ensure farmers a minimum support price which is worked out by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) set up by the Government of India. In the procurement operation NAFED appoints state level agencies in consultation with the State Governments who in turn involve their co-operative marketing societies for the procurement at the field level. This scheme safeguards the farmers' interest especially during periods of high production and crash in price.

Support Price Declared for Copra (2008)

Milling Copra . . . . . Rs. 3,660/- 

Ball Copra . . . . . . . Rs. 3,910/-

D. World Coconut Day - 2 September - every year

September 2 of every year has been designated as Coconut Day as per the decision of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) Headquartered at Jakarta, Indonesia. Foundation day of the APCC also falls on 2nd September. All major coconut growing countries including India are members of the APCC. The celebration of the annual coconut day is aimed at creating more awareness on the importance of the coconut and focussing world attention to this crop to enhance its potential in alleviating poverty, encouraging investments in the sector and promote total development of coconut industry in the member countries. In India, Coconut Development Board is taking the lead in the annual celebration of the Coconut day.

For more details please contact us: 

E-mail: cdbkochi@dataone.in