DMK, AIADMK MLAs jointly urge govt to hike copra procurement price

Chennai: In a rare show of unity, members of both the ruling and Opposition parties on Tuesday urged the state government to increase the procurement price of copra.

“The procurement price of copra was fixed at Rs 105.9 per kg during the previous AIADMK rule. But, now the price has been reduced to around Rs 82 per kg. So, the state government should take steps to increase the price to Rs 120 to Rs 125 per kg,” demanded Pollachi Jayaraman in the Assembly.

A special calling attention motion was introduced in the Assembly by DMK and AIADMK members to increase the procurement price of coconut copra.

N Ashok Kumar from Peravurani constituency, representing the DMK, said that Cyclone Gaja has uprooted all the coconut trees in his region and farmers have still not recovered from the loss.

NABARD has fixed the procurement rate of copra at Rs 105 per kg and so the price should now be hiked at Rs 120 to Rs 125 per kg.

The Minister replied that the procurement price of coconut copra has increased, but the reason for decrease in price is due to farmers giving the coconut copra to private traders.