Coconut Board promoting nut cultivation in newer areas

There is not much area left in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu for coconut cultivation

With the area under coconut cultivation in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu now almost saturated, the Coconut Development Board is now promoting it in newer areas.

Andhra Pradesh offers tremendous potential for coconut cultivation on over half a million hectares from the existing 110,000 hectare, according to a top official of the Coconut Development Board (CDB).

There is enormous potential for growing coconut in the entire coastal Andhra Pradesh and many other districts. The present area under coconut cultivation is around 110,000 hectare and there is scope to grow coconut on more than half a million hectares, CDB chairman T K Jose said.

"We look forward to Andhra Pradesh as a focused state as the area under coconut cultivation in Kerala and Tamil Nadu has almost saturated, and there is not much area left in Karnataka. Whereas, Andhra Pradesh offers more area and has better potential for processing and developing coconut enterprises," Jose said.

It will take minimum five years for the state to bring over half a million hectares under coconut cultivation, he said, adding, "the CDB needs support from the horticulture department to increase coconut area under cultivation."

"Besides, farmers should come forward as they will be given high-quality seedlings from our nurseries, associate nurseries of agricultural department and private nurseries," he said. CDB is a statutory body established by the central government for integrated development of coconut cultivation and industry in the country.

To promote integrated development of coconut throughout the country, the Board has undertaken several initiatives, including providing 25 per cent subsidy under Technology Mission on Coconut for minimum five years to motivate entrepreneurs for venturing into coconut processing sector.

In India, coconut is grown on a total area of around 1.9 million hectare and the annual production is 16,943 million nuts. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are the main growers in the country, together accounting for 90 per cent of area (under coconut cultivation) and 93 per cent of production, the CDB said. Kerala leads with an annual production of over 600 crore coconuts on 7 lakh hectare area.

At present, Andhra Pradesh occupies the fourth position after Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka but its productivity (per hectare production of nuts) is much better. East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts are in forefront.

The state accounts for around 5.5 per cent in area and 6.15 per cent of production of coconut (over 1 billion nuts), according to CDB officials. West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have conducive agro climatic conditions wherein coconut-based integrated farming system can be introduced, they said.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal are traditional producers of coconut while Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand are the new non-traditional areas in the north. All seven states of North-East also grow coconut.