Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government is planning to give a lifeline to the Neera producers' cooperative societies by finding them a market for the sweet beverage tapped from coconut trees. The agriculture department has asked the Kerala Agriculture University to study the possibilities of streamlining the technology for Neera production and market a uniform product across Kerala.
The farmers' collectives that jumped the Neera bandwagon three years ago have struggled to find many takers for the beverage. The Coconut Development Board had initiated the plan to boost production by forming farmers' collective but the initial euphoria fizzled out due to taste differences and a higher price tag.
The government did little to help the cooperatives expand their market. As Neera production in the state has dipped from 40,000 liters to 10,000 liters, the agriculture department called for a meeting of all the cooperatives to boost production and find a market. The department proposed marketing Neera as a single brand. The department has also offered to set up a tetra pack manufacturing unit to supply the packs for Neera.
The problems
» Neera producers' cooperatives have been struggling to find a market and the government is of little help. Many of the collectives are staring at a financial crisis, with bank loans mounting.
» The seven cooperatives produce Neera in different methods, leading to vast differences in taste and quality of the beverage.
» The coconut farmers do not have the resources to bring in the knowhow to pack and store Neera. The process is prohibitively costly.
» Coconut tree climbers and Neera tappers are in severe shortage.
» The Coconut Development Board is supposed to steer the Neera business plan but the agency has been rudderless for over a year. The board is under the charge of Dr B.S.N. Murthy, the Delhi-based horticulture commissioner of the Union agriculture department.
» The excise department would only give one-year licenses to tap Neera. Getting the licenses renewed is a tedious process, often leading to delays.
The solutions
» The Kerala government could press for an early submission of the report by the Kerala Agricultural University on Neera production and marketing.
» The government could invite all producer collectives to draw a game plan in accordance with the report.
» The government could set up a tetrapack manufacturing unit to support the marketing and branding of the beverage.
» Parle has offered to market Neera all over India in tetrapacks. The product could have a shelf life of about a year in tetrapacks. The government could follow up on the company's proposal to procure all the Neera produced in Kerala.