KERAFED
Encyclopedia
KERAFED is the top-level co-operative federation of coconut farmers in the southern Indian state of Kerala
. KERAFED is also a producer and marketer of various products based on coconut, and is the largest producer of coconut oil in India.
KERAFED procures its raw materials directly from coconut farmers, and uses the newest technologies in production.
in 1987 with the bonafide object of arranging to procure the produce of coconut farmers to regulate marketing operation of the products to retrieve the segment of price crunch they were confronting at large. A production unit relating to the sector was brought into operation in 1991 to crush and market copra
procured from the farmers at remunerative price to relieve the section of price crunch and also to cater the edible oil requirement of the society by maintaining high quality standards.
for its operations.
KERAFED, currently, has two expeller oil extraction facilities; one at Karunagappally, Kollam
and the other at Naduvannur
, Kozhikode
, and caters to about five lakh (five hundred thousand) consumers in Kerala
through 14,000 retail outlets.
The oil complex in Karunagappally houses state-of-the-art equipment for extraction. It is the largest coconut oil mill in the sub-continent with an installed capacity of 20 tonnes per day (TPD) (7504 TPA, 2009–2010). The facility at Naduvannur
provides a production of 7.5 TPD (2693 TPA, 2009–2010), to sum up the total production to about 10,000 metric tonnes during the year 2009-2010. During this peroid, the facilities used 15,887 metric tonnes of copra
and generated 5111 metric tonnes of "pinnack" as a by-product. KERAFED is planning to set up its third factory and refinery for solvent extraction at Ernakulam
, though the details are yet to be finalized.
vide IS:542-1968. Certificate of Authorisation to grade "KERA" coconut oil under AGMARK has also been obtained.
Kera is now available in HDPE bottles of 100 ml, 200 ml and 500 ml; PET bottles of 1000 ml and polythene pouches of 500 ml and 1000 ml. The raw materials used for these packings are of virgin/food grade, approved by CFTRI, Mysore and other government-approved agencies. Secondary packing is done using 3/5 ply-corrugated cartons, as per specifications.
KERAFED is planning to diversify its product repertoire by including such products as desiccated coconut, coconut milk, coconut powder, and coconut cream. Also in the plan is a timber manufacturing unit, to produce building materials, particle boards, flooring articles, etc.
There are also plans to develop herbal oil products from coconut, as the federation has recently introduced 'Kerajam Kesamrith' herbal oil in Kerala
.
totalled about Re 1 crore.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. KERAFED is also a producer and marketer of various products based on coconut, and is the largest producer of coconut oil in India.
KERAFED procures its raw materials directly from coconut farmers, and uses the newest technologies in production.
History
KERAFED was constituted by the Government of KeralaGovernment of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
in 1987 with the bonafide object of arranging to procure the produce of coconut farmers to regulate marketing operation of the products to retrieve the segment of price crunch they were confronting at large. A production unit relating to the sector was brought into operation in 1991 to crush and market copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
procured from the farmers at remunerative price to relieve the section of price crunch and also to cater the edible oil requirement of the society by maintaining high quality standards.
Current Operations
During the financial year 2009-2010, KERAFED procured 24,500 metric tonnes of copraCopra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
for its operations.
KERAFED, currently, has two expeller oil extraction facilities; one at Karunagappally, Kollam
Kollam
Kollam , often anglicized as ', is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram...
and the other at Naduvannur
Naduvannur
Naduvannur is a village in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India.The name Naduvannur denotes that it was the centre of the territory of Kurumbranad.'Nadu' means centre and ur means place.-How to reach:...
, Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, and caters to about five lakh (five hundred thousand) consumers in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
through 14,000 retail outlets.
The oil complex in Karunagappally houses state-of-the-art equipment for extraction. It is the largest coconut oil mill in the sub-continent with an installed capacity of 20 tonnes per day (TPD) (7504 TPA, 2009–2010). The facility at Naduvannur
Naduvannur
Naduvannur is a village in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India.The name Naduvannur denotes that it was the centre of the territory of Kurumbranad.'Nadu' means centre and ur means place.-How to reach:...
provides a production of 7.5 TPD (2693 TPA, 2009–2010), to sum up the total production to about 10,000 metric tonnes during the year 2009-2010. During this peroid, the facilities used 15,887 metric tonnes of copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
and generated 5111 metric tonnes of "pinnack" as a by-product. KERAFED is planning to set up its third factory and refinery for solvent extraction at Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
, though the details are yet to be finalized.
Products
"KERA" brand of coconut oil conforms to the grade specifications laid down by the Bureau of Indian StandardsBureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986...
vide IS:542-1968. Certificate of Authorisation to grade "KERA" coconut oil under AGMARK has also been obtained.
Kera is now available in HDPE bottles of 100 ml, 200 ml and 500 ml; PET bottles of 1000 ml and polythene pouches of 500 ml and 1000 ml. The raw materials used for these packings are of virgin/food grade, approved by CFTRI, Mysore and other government-approved agencies. Secondary packing is done using 3/5 ply-corrugated cartons, as per specifications.
KERAFED is planning to diversify its product repertoire by including such products as desiccated coconut, coconut milk, coconut powder, and coconut cream. Also in the plan is a timber manufacturing unit, to produce building materials, particle boards, flooring articles, etc.
There are also plans to develop herbal oil products from coconut, as the federation has recently introduced 'Kerajam Kesamrith' herbal oil in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Export Operations
KERAFED has gained a good momentum in its export operations which commenced around early 2006. During the first year, exports to the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
totalled about Re 1 crore.