A palm-fringed coastline is perhaps the lone thread of commonality between Kerala and the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), other than perhaps the love for rum. Kerala’s own coconuts are now set to add another chapter to the centuries-long ties between India and T&T.
In a matter of days, the Coconut Development Board (CDB) will submit a road map for a new collaboration with the Caribbean island thereby opening a new trade path, which is expected to inject new life into coconut farming in both the countries. This follows a team from CDB led by Deputy Director Ramani Gopalakrishnan visiting T&T earlier this month. “Our report mainly focus on the potential sectors where both the countries can look into. They have already put forth a request for providing six lakh coconut seed nuts. We will put forth the request before Union Ministry of Agriculture to allow the coconut companies in major coconut farming states to give sanction for exporting the seeds,” Ramani told ‘Express’.
The deal includes the transfer of latest technology, export of coconut seed nuts and other coconut products from India to the Windies. CDB will submit the road map along with the feasibility report to the Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs, T&T, by the end of this month. Following the report, a team from T&T including progressive farmers and selected officials from the ministry will visit India by the August 2013. The team is expected to visit the Demonstration cum Seed Production Plant in Mandia, Karnataka, where they will be provided training.
The team is also expected to visit the farms and coconut plants in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.