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This project was a continuation of the earlier efforts in establishing a commercially viable coconut oil industry among Nicobari tribal women. Arrangements were made with a tribal businessman in Car Nicobar to purchase and supply oil. One installment of 200 liters was received. However, there were challenges in arranging barrels to supply larger quantities, and barrels sourced in the islands were found to be substandard. There was no action on the part of this businessman to obtain barrels from elsewhere, and finally an entrepreneur from Port Blair stepped in.
1. To set up a manufacturing unit for virgin coconut oil operated and managed by women groups in the Nicobar Islands
Completed
• A private limited company has been set up, which will buy the nuts from Nicobaris at more than the minimum support price. This will be converted by the company into VCO, shipped to mainland India, and then marketed.
• A capital of five lakh Rupees was contributed to this venture from private sources. With this, the St. Andrews-VCO project is at an end. Although the manufacturing by women did not take off, the project has achieved one of its major goals of ensuring that at least the minimum support price for coconuts was paid, with other manufacturers having to follow suit.