Coconut cultivators are striving to improve their productivity and consolidate their position in the global market

Coconut is one of the popular food commodities in India, especially in the southern regions. It has been noted that the region from Malabar Coast to South Kanara to Cape Comorin is regarded as Keralam, the land of coconut. This has not only helped to increase coconut cultivation in the country but has also aided in generating employment opportunities for people residing in rural India.

The country is regarded as the highest producer of coconuts. It has been noted that India produces around 6.5 lakh tonnes (lt) of copra and 4.3 lt of coconut oil.

“Despite high production of coconut in the Indian market, the domestic players are unable to earn high profits in the global markets. High tariff has been one of the key reasons responsible for creating hindrance in the profit margins of the domestic coconut cultivators,” says Arvind Rao, proprietor of Impex India, a small-sized coconut supplier and exporter in Bengaluru.

Multifarious usage of coconut

While most consumers are fond of coconut water, especially during the hot summer months that prevents a person from dehydration, other parts of the commodity including kernel, husk and shell are also useful for various purposes.

 

The kernel is the matured form of the coconut that is utilised to manufacture coconut milk or cream used by confectioners to prepare Indian sweets as well as by consumers for preparing traditional dishes such as prawn malai or coconut rice. Coconut husk is utilised for making ropes, while the shell is used for making activated charcoal and shell flour is high on demand in organic industries.

“Coconut oil is also utilised in authentic South Indian delicacies. It is regarded as healthy oil as it is easy to digest and does not lead to any disorders unlike other forms of vegetable oils like ghee,” says Dinesh Rajan, proprietor of Alpha Ltd, a small-sized coconut oil manufacturer in Chennai.

Recent trends in coconut production

Storage of the nuts plays a significant role. Therefore, coconut cultivators should ensure that the harvested coconuts are stored under the shade in heaps. This aids farmers to de-husk the nut more easily and also produce high quality copra.

Coconuts are usually exported as dried nuts, which are also referred to as copra. This involves the post-harvest technology during which the water is removed and the nuts are left to dry under the sun. After the drying procedure is complete the coconuts are removed from the shell and sold to consumers. Usually the nuts are left to dry under natural sunlight, however, during unfavourable climatic conditions farmers need to seek other methods to continue the procedure. Therefore, during monsoon and winter seasons farmers can either use smoke or kiln drying to dry the nuts more rapidly.

The demand for copra is gradually increasing in the market. As a result, the Coconut Development Board (CDB) has introduced a new technique by which coconuts could easily be converted to edible white copra. The CDB with the aid of the Regional Research Laboratory will be able to convert the commodity in 3 months, thereby bolstering copra production in India. 

Alternatives for coconut cultivators

In a bid to aid coconut farmers earn higher profits; they should be encouraged to cultivate other annual or seasonal crops, popularly referred to as intercropping. Along with inter-cropping, farmers should also be encouraged to be engaged in fodder livestock or have fish ponds, which will improve their monthly earning.        

Sabrina Mitchell