State to fight propaganda against use of coconut oil

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state agriculture department, with the support of health and food safety departments, universities and research institutes, will launch a counter campaign against the ‘widespread propaganda’ that consumption of coconut oil causes heart ailments and other serious health problems.

Simultaneously, the department will wage a war against the adulterated coconut oil being sold in the state, through regular inspections and strict legal actions, agriculture minister V S Sunikumar told reporters here on Friday.

“Such a campaign against coconut oil, without any scientific backing, has adversely affected Kerala’s coconut industry. The government will make use of authentic scientific studies and available media platforms to launch a strong campaign for the promotion of coconut oil as a healthy edible oil,” he said.

Citing inputs from experts from countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, who took part in the technical session on value addition in coconut at VAIGA 2016, the ongoing international workshop and exhibition on agro-products, the minister said virgin coconut oil was being recommended as the most safe and healthy edible oil world across. “Even the United States which had initiated the false campaign against coconut oil to promote Soybean oil, is now recommending virgin coconut oil for children,” the minister added.

Pointing out that 70% of the coconut oil sold under various brands in the state was adulterated, Sunil kumar said the agriculture department, with the help of food safety officials, would launch a massive drive to tackle this menace.

On the promotion of value addition in coconut products, the minister said the agriculture department, Kerafed, the State Coconut Development Corporation and the Coconut Development Board would jointly provide the entrepreneurs with facilities for processing, packaging and marketing, besides making a budget provision to purchase suitable technologies from abroad.

“The state, over the years has witnessed a decreased productivity in the coconut sector due to lack of proper care and several crop diseases. The government will launch a ‘scientific farming scheme’ by providing quality saplings to farmers and forming coconut villages comprising 500-hectre clusters for better care and cultivation,” he said.