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Goa to ban import of tender coconut

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Goa is planning to ban import of tender coconuts and impose entry tax on dry copra used for extracting oil.

Replying to the debate raised by opposition member Dayanand Narvekar in the state assembly, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that he has also requested the Centre to work out an alternative mechanism to the WTO to protect the interests of domestic coconut growers.

Goa is currently facing a crisis due to imported products that are sold at much cheaper rates. While the price of coconut per thousand dropped to Rs 2,100 two months ago, tender coconuts imported from Kerala and other southern states was found to be much cheaper.

Tourists, however, were sold coconuts at the standard rate of Rs 10.

"As the imported tender coconut is affected by mites, we have decided to ban it totally," informed agriculture minister Ramarao Desai. This would increase sale of local tender coconuts, he added.

As the local tender fruit has become very popular among the millions of tourists visiting Goa annually, authorities have decided to open 100 sale points at bus stands, markets, beaches, temples and churches. It would also provide them with a special mechanical device to cut open the tender coconut.

To encourage local farmers to engage in the trade of dry copra, the government will impose 8 per cent entry tax on the imported fruit. In addition, the state plans to subsidise almost 50 units of dry copra with 25 per cent subsidy.

With the assistance of National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation, two prime co-operative societies have already started procuring dry copra at a minimum support price of Rs 32,500 per metric tonne.

Around 120 MT has already been purchased under this scheme, informed the agriculture minister.

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