Coconut Sector in India at the crossroads: A brief narrative

Abstract

The potential area of the coconut sector is the agri-business, based on value-added products of coconuts. The breakthrough products developed from the coconuts have export potential and thereby in long run, price stabilization in the domestic coconut sector is also possible. In view of the proliferating regional trade agreements, hereafter the modalities of such a commodity-specific trade agreement should be worked out with utmost care wherein we should end up in a win-win situation. In this respect, we need to thoroughly analyze the existing tariff structure of each APCC country, and an unbiased tariff reduction schedule should be proposed. It is also important to consider the existing tariff structures of close substitutes/competing products of each country and thereby arriving at a consensus.