World-class coconut smart village planned for 'Kalpataru Nadu'

 The deputy commissioner (DC) held a meeting with the president of Karnataka State Coir Development Corporation and office-bearers of coconut producers’ societies here recently. They discussed the proposal to establish a world-class coconut smart village for encouraging coconut export, exhibiting and selling coconuts, copra and their byproducts

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“The coconut producers of the district are in distress. The coconut and copra grown in the district have a special flavour. Hence, the corporation intends to establish a world-class exhibition and sales centre on 100 acres of land, thereby establishing the district’s coconut as a brand,” said Venkatachalaiah, an official of the corporation.

Copra, coconuts, coir, neera and their derivatives will be sold. Opportunities will be provided to companies for research into and manufacture of coconut byproducts, he said.

He said that land near Tumakuru city should be provided for setting up the centre to help with the exports and also to draw customers. Discussions have been held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G Parameshwara and Small Scale Industries Satish Jarkiholi in this regard. The corporation will take the lead in establishing the centre. The Coconut Development Board and Coir Board will extend their aid to this project,” Venkatachalaiah told the DC.

The DC asked the officials to provide information about which taluk among Tumakuru, Gubbi, Tiptur and Chikkanayakanahalli stands to benefit the most from the smart village. He would then make his decision, the DC added.

Legislator Sudhakar Lal said that steps should be taken for marketing of coconut byproducts and neera. The government should encourage the establishment of the centre, he added.

The government, in its 2012 budget, had announced that a coconut park would be established in Tiptur, Kibbanahalli and Kunigal. In the 2014 budget, it had announced the establishment of a coir technology park in Tumakuru. The government has sanctioned Rs one crore to coconut producers. The Union government has sanctioned four coir clusters to Gubbi and Tiptur taluks. However, all these projects have been put on the back burner. The government has to take measures to implement all the projects, urged Kundaranahalli Ramesh of the Abhivrudhi  Revolution Forum.

Office-bearers of various coconut producers’ companies Mrityunjayappa, Basavaraju, Adalagere Devanand, Shankaranand, Vinod and others were present.