Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Professor K V Thomas has said that consolidation of farmers at ground level and encouraging them for integrated management practices and farm level processing is the need of the hour for solving many issues haunting the coconut industry. Inaugurating the 45th Cocotech meeting organised by the Asia Pacific Coconut Community in Kochi this morning, Professor Thomas said, the aggregation of farmers and their produce will help to make available raw material at competitive rates. He said, this will also trigger farm level processing for value addition, effective marketing strategies and market promotional activities.Noting that 98 per cent of the coconut holdings in the country is less than two hectares, the Union Minister said, sustainability of coconut industry is of paramount importance to provide price stability and remunerative price to farmers. He also called for bringing in a structural change in planting pattern of coconut trees, giving more importance on dwarfs and hybrids. Representatives from nearly 20 countries are participating in the five-day meet.