<p> He was speaking at the workshop held on ‘coconut market: opportunities and challenges’ organised by Coconout Development Board and Chamarajanagar Taluk Association of Coconut Growers Processing and Marketing Unit, at Chamarajanagar on Wednesday.<br /><br />“People buy cooking oils after watching advertisements on television channels. This has led to reduced demand for coconut oil. It was only a decade ago that the palm crude oil entered the market. This has resulted demand and pricing of coconut oil taking a beating. Today, coconut oil does not command as much as blueberries or guava fruits,” he said. <br /><br />Measures taken in Kerala<br /><br />Elaborating on the measures taken in Kerala, Chandrashekhar said usage of Coconut oil is highly encouraged in Kerala and there is a blanket ban on using palm oil. Such policies should be made in state too. <br /><br />Easy for capitalists<br /><br />“Karnataka has made it too easy for foreign capitalists in state. With that, even palm oil is being made available in the fair price shops,” he said. <br /><br />When coconut was hit by borer disease, State government didn’t initiate any steps to contain it. Hence, Raitha Sangha went ahead with its plans to encash on Neera. <br />Though this it was a healthy drink, state government did not allow it. <br /><br />Can be used for cooking<br /><br />Coconut oil can be used for cooking as well, which will not harm health in any way. People should start using coconut oil in their kitchens, only then will we be able to create market for the product, he said. <br /><br />MLC Prof K R Mallikarjunappa inaugurated the workshop. Raitha Sangha District Unit President A M Mahesh Prabhu, Coconut Development Board Director Dr K V Subramanyam, Mysore HOPCOMS Chief Dr P Srinivas, Food Technology Department Director Dr K S M S Raghavarao, Vijaykumar were present.</p>
<p> He was speaking at the workshop held on ‘coconut market: opportunities and challenges’ organised by Coconout Development Board and Chamarajanagar Taluk Association of Coconut Growers Processing and Marketing Unit, at Chamarajanagar on Wednesday.<br /><br />“People buy cooking oils after watching advertisements on television channels. This has led to reduced demand for coconut oil. It was only a decade ago that the palm crude oil entered the market. This has resulted demand and pricing of coconut oil taking a beating. Today, coconut oil does not command as much as blueberries or guava fruits,” he said. <br /><br />Measures taken in Kerala<br /><br />Elaborating on the measures taken in Kerala, Chandrashekhar said usage of Coconut oil is highly encouraged in Kerala and there is a blanket ban on using palm oil. Such policies should be made in state too. <br /><br />Easy for capitalists<br /><br />“Karnataka has made it too easy for foreign capitalists in state. With that, even palm oil is being made available in the fair price shops,” he said. <br /><br />When coconut was hit by borer disease, State government didn’t initiate any steps to contain it. Hence, Raitha Sangha went ahead with its plans to encash on Neera. <br />Though this it was a healthy drink, state government did not allow it. <br /><br />Can be used for cooking<br /><br />Coconut oil can be used for cooking as well, which will not harm health in any way. People should start using coconut oil in their kitchens, only then will we be able to create market for the product, he said. <br /><br />MLC Prof K R Mallikarjunappa inaugurated the workshop. Raitha Sangha District Unit President A M Mahesh Prabhu, Coconut Development Board Director Dr K V Subramanyam, Mysore HOPCOMS Chief Dr P Srinivas, Food Technology Department Director Dr K S M S Raghavarao, Vijaykumar were present.</p>
