नारयल वकास बोड (कृ ष मंऽालय, भारत सरकार), केरा भवन, कोची – 682 011, भारत COCONUT DEVELOPMENT BOARD (Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India) Kera Bhavan, SRVHS Road, Kochi – 682 011, India Email: [email protected], Web:www.coconutboard.gov.in फैस Fax : 91-484-2377902 टे िलमाम Telegram:KERABOARD दरभाष Telephones ू अ#य$ Chairman : 2375216 मु.ना.व.अ.CCDO : 2375999 िनदे शक Director : 2375237 सिचव Secretary : 2377737 कायालय Office : 2376265 PRESS RELEASE Union Minister for Agriculture, Shri. Radha Mohan Singh to inaugurate 51st APCC Session/Ministerial meeting Honourable Union Minister for Agriculture Shri. Radha Mohan Singh would inaugurate the 51st Asia Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) Session/Ministerial meeting, which is scheduled to be held at Hotel Crowne Plaza in Kochi from February 2-5, 2015. Shri. Sanjeev Chopra IAS, Joint Secretary (MIDH) and APCC Chairman, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India would deliver the welcome speech and Mr. Uron N. Salum, Executive Director, APCC would present an official introduction of the 51st APCC session/Ministerial meeting. Honourable Member of Parliament, Prof. K.V. Thomas would deliver the presidential address and Mr. Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Government of Samoa, would give the ministerial response on behalf of the visiting ministers and delegates. Mr. Inia. Seruiratu, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests; Rural & Maritime and Development and National Disaster Management, Government of Fiji, Shri. K. Babu, Honourable Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Excise, Government of Kerala and Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, IAS. Chairman (I/C). Coir Board would also attend the session. Shri. T.K. Jose IAS, Chairman, Coconut Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, would deliver the vote of thanks. The inaugural session on February 2, 2015 would also see the awarding of APCC recognition for the host country, India. The inaugural session would start at 10.45 a.m. and concludes at 12.45 p.m. The Asian and Pacific Coconut Community is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1969, under the aegis of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP). It has 18 coconut-producing member countries, comprising the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam as full members; and Jamaica and Kenya as associate members. The APCC member countries together account for 90 per cent of the world’s coconut production and export of coconut products. India, one of the founder members of APCC, currently holds the Chairmanship of APCC, which has 18 coconut producing countries. The meeting to be held at Crowne 2376553 2377267 Plaza in Kochi will review the global coconut situation and hold deliberations on specific issues in coconut cultivation, processing, marketing and trade so as to evolve appropriate policy decision for the development of the sector. The session is also expected to make inroads into the development of trade in coconut and coconut products between the member countries. Kochi 28. 01. 2015 (S/d) Publicity Officer