Coconut Development Board, in association with Tamil Nadu Agriculture University and ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, is organising a farmers’ meeting on October 14 at Coimbatore.

Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, will inaugurate the event.

The meeting will be followed by farmers-scientist interaction to provide first-hand information on various problems and prospects related to coconut farming, a statement said.  

With a 4.44 lakh ha area under coconut cultivation, Tamil Nadu occupies a significant share producing 512.82 million nuts with productivity of 11,526 nuts per ha. The state contributes about 20 per cent of the area and 26 per cent of production under coconut and stands first in coconut processing unit establishment. Coimbatore ranks in the top position in the area under coconut with 88,467 ha.   

Tamil Nadu contributes to about 20 per cent of the area and 26 per cent of production under coconut in India and stands first in coconut processing unit establishment. 

Tamil Nadu contributes to about 20 per cent of the area and 26 per cent of production under coconut in India and stands first in coconut processing unit establishment. 

In productivity, Tamil Nadu occupies the third position in the country. The farmers have also ventured into processing and value addition. Almost 70 per cent of the country’s coconut processing units, from milling copra, activated carbon units, virgin coconut oil units, packaged tender coconut water units, spray dried coconut milk powder units, coconut milk units and many other innovative value-added coconut product units, are from Tamil Nadu.

A regional office and a demonstration-cum-seed production centre of the Board are functioning in the state to promote coconut cultivation and to support farmers by implementing the CDB’s programmes and providing guidance in scientific cultivation methods and processing and marketing it.

From 2014-15 to 2021-22, the Board has expended ₹290.82 crore for field-oriented schemes, the establishment of coconut processing units and insurance schemes. During 2022-23, ₹14.17 crore is earmarked for various field-level coconut development programmes.

Tuticorin and Chennai ports deal with a major chunk of coconut products export. Export through the ports of Tamil Nadu tops the country with a share of 60 per cent. The state is the leading exporter of coconut shell-based activated carbon  coconuts, coconut oil & coconut shell charcoal and ranks second in the export of desiccated coconut. Pollachi is emerging as a major export hub for coconut and coir products and caters to the requirement of tender coconut in the country.