THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan will inaugurate the Virgin coconut production unit at Mamom, near Attingal on Wednesday. Kerala State Coconut Development Corporation (KSCDC) chairman Subah Pulpatta and managing director Ashok Kumar Thekkan at a news conference, here today said that the production unit which has remained closed for several decades will focus on value-added products.
They pointed out that though Kerala is known for large scale cultivation of coconut, only very few value-added products are made from it, in Kerala.
The fair value for coconut could be fetched only if value added products are made from coconut, they opined. Coconut water and coconut kernel also can be converted into value-added products. According to them, vinegar and cool drinks can be made from coconut water. The kernel could be used for producing charcoal. The Mamom unit has plans to produce kernel dust. The plan is to export virgin coconut oil to the European countries. Baby oil is yet another important product which will be manufactured at the unit.
They said the Mamom coconut complex under KSCDC had incurred heavy dues on water and current charges during the lock-out period. As part of the renovation, the sheds were repaired to house the virgin coconut oil unit. B Sathyan MLA will preside over the function. Attingal Municipal chair person S Kumari, Board member K Balanarayanan, Municipal vice chairman M Pradeep, municipal councillors P Unnikrishnan, K Sobhana and others will attend.