The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh announced that India is the leading country in coconut production and productivity in the world.
- The announcement was made in Patna, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Farmers’ Training Centre cum Regional Office Building of Coconut Development Board.
Key Highlights
- The Minister said that the major schemes implemented by the Coconut Development Board (CDB) focus on coconut production, productivity, processing for coconut products, value addition, marketing, and export promotion in Bihar.
- He mentioned that coconut contributes to about Rs.27900 crore to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- The annual coconut production was 2395 crore from 20.82 lakh hectare and the productivity was 11505 coconuts/hectare in 2017.
- Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the country has witnessed an increase in coconut export. In the year 2016-17, coconut products worth of Rs.2084 crore were exported.
- More than 1 crore population of India depends on coconut cultivation for their livelihood.
- Therefore the CDB aims to assist the coconut farmers in coconut production, processing, marketing and export of value-added coconut products. These efforts from the CDB would help India to become the global leader in coconut production, productivity, processing, and export.
- As compared to the exports for the year 2011-14, the exports for the years 2015-17 have shown a great increment of about more than 60.62%.
- During the period 2013 -15, coconut production was 42,104 million nuts whereas during the period of 2015-17 44,405 million nuts were produced. Thus the export value of coconut products has increased from Rs.3017.30 crore during 2011-14 to Rs. 4846.36 crore during 2015-17.
- In the year 2014, Rs.409.01 lakh was sanctioned for implementation of coconut related schemes in Bihar through the Coconut Development Board.
- From the year 2016, India started exporting coconut oil to even those countries from where India was earlier importing it.
- For the very first time, desiccated coconut is being exported to the US and Europe in large quantities from India.
- The Minister mentioned that currently, 14,900 hectare is under coconut cultivation in Bihar. Therefore with proper management and guidance coconut cultivation can be taken up even in homesteads.
- Around 50,000-hectare area in Bihar is suitable for coconut cultivation. Therefore the farmers who train at the Farmers Training Centre can consider coconut cultivation as an option.
- For the demonstration of the scientific coconut cultivation, Rs 46.25 lakh has been allocated for the scheme ‘Laying out of Demonstration Plot’ for the period of 2017-18.
Benefits of the increase in coconut production
- It will lead to an increase in the exports for India.
- An increase in coconut production will lead to employment generation.
- The coconut is a very useful plant with a wide range of products being sourced from it. Many coconut based products can be made like coconut chips, coconut milk, coconut sugar, coconut water, tender coconut water, coconut honey, coconut jaggery, coconut milkshake, coconut snacks, virgin coconut oil, coconut natural cream, more nee cookies and other products. This would provide a range of employment opportunities for the local people.
- The demand for coconut products is growing worldwide. Its demand has grown by 500% since the last decade and the increase in the coconut production will act as a benefit for India.
