New Hand Sanitizer with Coconut Oil Developed by CPCRI, Kerala

The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala tested the use of Virgin Coconut Oil with alcohol for preparing hand sanitizers. Initially, 500 litres of sanitizers would be made and supplied for general use. 

Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (KSDP) under the state industries department has produced one lakh bottles of hand sanitizers in a single day. EP Jayarajan, Minister for Industries said that the production was scaled up as the number of Covid-19 cases increased in the state and there was a surge in demand. 

The CPCRI is also extending the District Administration with full support by providing the logistics facilities to contain and combat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease-19 infection in Kasaragod, Kerala. 

During her interaction with Dr. D. Sajith Babu, I.A.S., District Collector, Kasaragod, Kerala, Dr. Anitha Karun, Director, ICAR-CPCRI provided two real-time PCR machines to test the suspected samples. Besides this, three trained manpower will also be provided for operating the RT-PCRs. This would enhance the testing facilities created in the Central University of Kerala to 87 samples per day. 

Over 200 employees worked across 3 shifts to deliver 1 lakh bottles in a day. Production of other drugs and medicines is completely stopped and our total workforce is focusing on the production of hand sanitizers. 

The Industry Minister Shri Jayarajan further added that at one point we had to stall the production due to the unavailability of raw materials. This was due to a sudden spike in the prices of raw materials which were provided by private companies. In this situation the excise department came to our rescue by providing these raw materials. 

The production of hand sanitizers took up by KSDP by the state government. Initially, only two thousand bottles were produced in a day. The sanitizers were given only to Kerala Medical Services Corporation.  

After scaling up the production the KSDP has now started providing sanitizers to local self-governing bodies and other semi-government entities like Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and Kerala State Electricity Board.