Declining availability of copra in Kerala forces Marico, the largest consumer of coconut oil in the nation, to try the cluster initiative to boost productivity. Marico is a Rs 1,900-crore company that owns brands like Parachute Coconut Oil and Saffola. With the branded coconut oil industry growing at a healthy rate of 10-12% per annum, ensuring continuous supply of quality copra from Kerala has been task that Marico has been working jointly with the state run Coconut Development Board (CDB), Harsh C Mariwala, CMD of Marico said.
Harish said that his company is one of the largest consumers of copra in the nation procuring more than 30,000 tonne of copra from Kerala alone. Supply has been declining in Kerala, while increasing in Tamil Nadu and other southern states, he said. “To ensure long-term sustainability of coconut farming, and copra conversions, Marico is engaged directly with farmers and copra converters through its ‘Collection Centre initiative’,” Harish said.
Marico’s effort as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) touches the lives of 50,000 farmers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The company is also looking at a long-term buy back arrangement with farmers under the cluster initiative, Harish added. CDB and Marico are also engaged in the cluster farming programme run by the CDB in Malapuram in Kerala. This is with a common goal of long-term sustenance of the coconut crop. Under 22 clusters, 3500 farmers are currently making use of the programme in Malappuram. Free distribution of organic and chemical fertilisers, pesticides, intercrops are provided and training for better farm management practices is provided.