Agencies under the Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers' Welfare have intensified the drive to procure raw coconut (de-husked) across the State. About a thousand tonnes of coconuts have been procured so far this year. Around 2,400 farmers have benefited from the raw coconut procurement drive and they have been paid ₹2.27 crore on this account so far. The raw coconut is procured at ₹32 per kg and the farmers are directly sent the money to their bank accounts.
Mostly in 3 districts
The Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), which is one of the key agencies working to procure raw coconut from the market has procured 793 tonnes, mostly from Malappuram, Kozhikode and Palakkad districts. The council has 12 procurement and collection centres in Malappuram, nine centres in Kozhikode and 13 centres in Palakkad district, VFPCK sources said. The procurement drive has helped around 2,300 farmers. The coconut procurement drive was launched on June 7.
