Soft drinks and aerated waters in the market will soon have to face competition from a new brand -- tender coconut water packed in aluminium cans.

The first phase of the project, co-promoted by the Coconut Development Board, under the Government of India, is expected to be on stream in West Bengal by September.

According to sources the plant is to come up at Hasnabad in West Bengal.

An agreement has been entered into by the representatives of the Board, the Defense Food Research Laboratory and Awadhoot Agro Limited for transfer of patented technical know-how to preserve and pack tender coconut water in aluminium cans.

The sources said the technology for the preservation and packaging of tender coconut water developed by the DFRL and the Coconut Board was transferred to AAL, which would undertake dispensing, filtering and packaging the coconut water.

The product, with a shelf life of nine months, will be manufactured in strict conformity with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. The first phase of the project is estimated to cost Rs 2.5 crore (Rs 25 million).

Sources said the market study conducted earlier found the response quite encouraging, especially in eastern, northern and western India.

The 1100-hectare coconut plantation has over 150,000 trees, which produce more than 23 million tender coconuts. The project, during the first phase, will require about 25,000 coconuts per day.

Efforts are also underway to explore the export market and agreement with some Gulf-based buyers is likely to be signed soon.

UNI