These informations play a major role in price movements, said a source in the coconut oil trading circles. The Kochi market, which till recently had an administered price by a committee of traders, is unaware of any kind of coconut availability not just from other states, but also from all parts of Kerala itself, said the source.

There is no authorised body providing information regarding the seasonal and daily arrivals of nuts to the market, said the source.

The Coconut Development Board should take up the onus of providing a bankable MIS. The present information system lacks credibility, he said.

According to director, Coconut Development Board, VT Markose, the boardagrees that the oil trade requires an MIS. The board has not been able to provide one till now because of late collection of data. There is need to collect data on a day-to-day basis for helping the coconut oil trade, Markose agreed, as the board would also like to have an effective say in the futures trading of coconut oil.

But CDB has not yet established a connectivity with most of the market centres in the coconut producing centres in various parts of the State as well other states.

CDB publishes the available data on a monthly basis in its journal. For providing more up-to-date information CDB has to build an infrastructure with computer connectivity to cater to the MIS.

Markose said that the futures trade in coconut oil will bring more stability to the market. The prices were more stable when there used to be futures trading earlier, he said. Since it was stopped there has been wild fluctuations but he agreed only partially that market has sometimes moved with certain cartels.

He strongly opposedthe arguments that free import of palm oil will effect coconut oil trade in any way. There have been imports earlier too. But the prices of coconut oil has not come down, he said. More than its use as an edible oil, coconut oil is being used in toiletries such as a base oil for many soaps and face creams.

Because the oil is premium priced, the poorer section of the society has always turned towards the cheaper palmolein, said Markose. But there is always a plastic demand for coconut oil from major corporates in the cosmetics and toiletry industry.

He said that Board is trying to reduce the dependency of coconut prices on the oil by promoting coconut as a popular dry fruit specially in north India.

It should be promoted as a food crop rather than an oil seed crop. Board's other efforts have been by providing technology for various by-products of coconut like coconut milk, desiccated coconut, coconut milk power and coconut water in tetra packs.