Kerala seeks extension for copra procurement deadline after first phase yields only 102 tonnes

Vadakara: The first phase of copra procurement ended on June 30, yielding only 102 tonnes, far below expectations. Consequently, Kerala has appealed to the Centre for an extension of the procurement deadline until August.

Typically, the process involves stocking copra for three months, selling it over the next three months, and then repeating the cycle. This approach will be managed by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) from this year onwards.

Given the meagre 102 tonnes procured in the first phase, Kerala argues that the stock can be sold off in one or two auctions, making the initially allocated three months unnecessary. Thus, the state has requested an extension of the stocking period to ensure ample time for sales, followed by an additional month for storage.

Storage facility shortages hamper progress
Kerala has faced setbacks in maintaining support prices due to a lack of adequate storage facilities. The state government had appointed the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), Kerala State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (MARKETFED), and Kerala State Warehousing Corporation as procurement nodal agencies. VFPCK, responsible for stocking goods, currently operates in only 29 centres across Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Palakkad districts.

The procurement process has yet to penetrate major coconut production areas effectively. Additionally, delays in receiving the state government's share of coconuts have further hindered progress for farmers. Without addressing these fundamental issues, merely extending the stocking period offers little benefit to the farming community.

The Centre had sanctioned the procurement of 30,000 tonnes of copra and 8,000 tonnes of ball copra within six months. While the support price for ball copra is set at Rs 12,000 per quintal, farmers are currently forced to sell it for only Rs 8,700 in the open market.