COIMBATORE: The Confederation of Indian Industry will conduct a two-day coconut festival on January 27 and 28 at CODISSIA trade fair complex. A coconut exhibition with more than 75 stalls and a technical conference focussed on the theme – farm to fridge and beyond: More nuts per tree and more value per nut – will also be held.

According to a S. Narayanan, Chairman, Coimbatore zone, the festival aims at providing a platform to all associated stakeholders to improve the crop production and use.

“The event will provide a hands on experience to farmers on modern agriculture methods, organic ways to cultivate coconut, drip irrigation and value addition like global coconut trade, integrated coconut processing. A coconut farmer The Philippines or Sri Lanka is earning almost double compared to an Indian farmer. This festival will look at ways to increase the profits of the farmer,” Narayanan said.

“About 3000 to 3500 delegates, including industrialists and farmers, are expected to participate in the festival. Inter-cropping methods will also be looked into during the festival,” S. Senthilnathan, Convener, Agri-based business and food processing panel, CII Coimbatore zone, said,

Supported by Coconut Development Board, Coir Board, Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, Indonesia; ICAR-CPCRI, Kasargod; and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the festival will also have an exhibition of value-added products, coconut varieties, coir-related products, processing equipment, irrigation equipment, farm machinery and farm products.