Coconut product exports register a growth of 33.69 pc

Kochi: Export of coconut products during the first six months of the financial year 2016-2017 has touched Rs 994.41 crore, registering a growth of 33.69 per cent. Significant increase was recorded in the export of desiccated coconut, coconut oil, fresh coconut, copra and coconut shell charcoal, a Coconut Development Board (CDB) statement said here today. The export of coconut oil from the country had achieved an all-time record with export of 16,282.29 MT as against 3717.69 MT, registering an mammoth increase of 338 per cent than the previous year during the same period, it said, adding that the country had received a foreign exchange of Rs 17125.05 lakh as against Rs 8555.30 lakh brought in last year.

Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar were the major countries exporting coconut oil from the country, the statement said. United States was the leading import of Indian activated carbon, followed by UK, the statement said and added that the export of activated carbon from the country during April to September 2016 stood at 33777.32 MT, as against 31810.21 MT exported during the same period last year. Regarding the export of desiccated coconut, the export during the current period stood at 7755.63 MT, as against a meagre quantity of 1185.41 MT, registering 554.26 per cent than the previous period, it said ,adding that UAE continued to the top position with exporting 2224.91 MT, followed by Egypt 921 MT.

Export of coconut shell charcoal also increased to 12,271.13 MT, registering a growth of 224.08 per cent, while the export of fresh coconut and copra had also increased to 39348.48 MT (16387.45 MT last year during the same period) and 11177.61 MT (1643.43 MT last year) respectively, the statement added. (UNI)