Lok Sabha Question No. 2746 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Neera Health Drink
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ANTO  ANTONY, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2746

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  15 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## NEERA HEALTH DRINK

2746.      SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is encouraging development, production and marketing of 'Neera' a value added product from coconut tree;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, along with the production of Neera, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Coconut Development Board is providing assistance in this regard; and;
- (d) if so, the details of such assistance and the number of beneficiaries?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )

- (a)  &  (b):      Yes,  Madam.  Coconut  Development  Board  (CDB)  is  encouraging development, production and marketing of 'Neera' as a natural health drink.

Neera production is done on a commercial scale in Kerala only. Government of Kerala has issued the Neera Rules, 2014 and neera production is being done through 17 Coconut Producer Companies (CPCs) affiliated with CDB, with a weekly production of 43025 litres in Kerala. As per CDB recommendations, production of Neera is to be done by Farmer Producer Organizations, neera production through Coconut Producer Societies  (CPSs)  under  the  strict  supervision  of  the  Coconut  Producer  Federations (CPFs) and processing, packing, branding and marketing to be done by the Coconut Producer Company (CPC). The status of CPS, CPF and CPC registered with Board from the four major coconut growing states are given at Annexure-I.

- (c) & (d): CDB is providing financial assistance to an extent  of 25% of capital cost as back ended credit linked subsidy for a maximum of Rs 50.00 lakhs per project for establishing  neera  processing  plants  under  the  scheme  Technology  Mission  on Coconut (TMOC).

Three  Coconut  Producers  Companies  CPCs  and  One  Coconut  Producer Federation (CPF) in Kerala have established neera processing plants with a total project cost  of  Rs  8.03  Crores  and  CDB  has  released  an  amount  of  Rs  0.86  Crores  under TMOC. Details are at Annexure-II.

## Annexure I

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION No. 2746 FOR ANSWER ON 15.12.2015

## State  wise  details  of  Farmers  Producers  Organizations  affiliated  to  Coconut Development  Board for Neera production.

Coconut Development Board (CDB) recommends that production of Neera is to be  done  by  the  three  tier  Farmer  Producer  Organizations,  neera  production  through Coconut Producer Societies (CPSs) under the strict supervision of the Coconut Producer Federations (CPFs) and processing, packing, branding and marketing to be done by the Coconut Producer Companies (CPCs). The status of CPS, CPF and CPC registered with CDB from the four major coconut growing States are as given below:

|    | States         |   CPS registered with CDB |   CPF registered with CDB |   CPC affiliated with CDB |
|----|----------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| 1  | Kerala         |                      6939 |                       425 |                        28 |
| 2  | Tamil Nadu     |                       439 |                        50 |                        13 |
| 3  | Karnataka      |                       371 |                       113 |                         7 |
| 4  | Andhra Pradesh |                       739 |                        58 |                         3 |
|    | Total          |                      8488 |                       646 |                        51 |

## Details of assistance provided by Coconut Development Board for production of Neera

The  details  of  Coconut  Producer  Companies  (CPCs)  and  Coconut  Producer Federations  (CPFs)  granted  assistance  under  the  scheme  Technology  Mission  on Coconut (TMOC) for Neera processing is given  below :

| Sl. No.   | Name of the CPC/CPF                                                                         | Total Project Cost   | Amount released under TMOC.   | Amount that can be given as back ended subsidy under TMOC   |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|           |                                                                                             | (`Rs. in lakhs)      | (`Rs. in lakhs)               | (`Rs. in lakhs)                                             |
| 1         | M/s. Kaipuzha Coconut Producer Company Ltd, Kollam, Kerala                                  | 250.00               | 45.00                         | 50.00 Lakhs to each unit                                    |
| 2         | M/s. Karappuram Coconut Producer Co. Ltd, SN Puram, Alapuzha , Kerala                       | 165.00               | 6.805                         | 50.00 Lakhs to each unit                                    |
| 3         | M/s. Kuttiady Coconut Farmers Producer Co. Ltd, Vadakara Taluk, Kuttiady, Kozhikode, Kerala | 309.53               | 25.00                         | 50.00 Lakhs to each unit                                    |
| 4         | Muthalamada Federation of Coconut Producer Societies, Palakkad                              | 78.82                | 9.57                          | 50.00 Lakhs to each unit                                    |
|           | Total                                                                                       | 803.35               | 86.375                        |                                                             |

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