Coimbator: Pollachi Lok Sabha MP K Shanmuga Sundaram has urged the United States to increase the price of minimum support (MSP) for Milling Copra and Ball Copra to help coconut farmers, who are worried about fluctuating production prices, recovering their production costs.
At present, Milling Copra is priced at Rs 103.35 per kg and Copra Ball with Rs 106 per kg, each compared to Rs 99.60 and Rs 103, last year.
MP has asked the center to increase MSP for Milling Copra to Rs 160 per kg and Ball Copra to Rs 180 per kg.
Speaking at Lok Sabha on Monday, Shanmuga Sundaram said the country led the world in copra production.
“The growing coconut is the main occupation of farmers in the pollachi parliamentary election.
Tamil Nadu produces around 5,365 million coconuts within 4.50.00 hectares.” According to him, the Tirupur district alone contributed to the production of 1.63 lakh metric tons of Copra and coconut oil 15.00,000 liters .
There are 250 oil factories in Tirupur, where coconut is cultivated at 65,000 hectares.
On the other hand, Coimbatore fosters coconuts at 87,000 hectares and produces 90,000 metric tons of milling copra.