Coconut crop contribute Rs 34000 Cr to GDP: Agri Minister
By TIOL News Service
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NEW DELHI, SEPT 03, 2018: THE Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Mr Radha Mohan Singh, said that coconut palm the ‘Kalpavriksha’ is Nature's great boon for the healthy and wealthy life of mankind. Coconut is known to have been cultivated for thousands of years in our country and is an inevitable part of our culture and tradition, religious and social practices, folklore, food and drink. In folklore, coconut is the fruit which provides nutrition and is heritage and legacy. The tree is mankind's true friend and a symbol of national integration.
Every year September 2 is celebrated as World Coconut Day to commemorate the formation day of Asian Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). APCC is an intergovernmental organization of 18 member countries mandated to promote, coordinate and harmonize coconut developmental activities of the Asian Pacific region to achieve maximum economic development.
The Minister said that India is one of the founder members of APCC. In India, under the leadership of the Central Government, the Coconut Development Board is celebrating World Coconut Day every year in various coconut producing states across the country. The theme announced by APCC for this year’s World Coconut Day is Coconut for Good Health, Wealth & Wellness.
India stands first in global coconut production and productivity. The annual coconut production of India is 2437.80 crore and the productivity is 11616 coconuts per hectare. The crop is cultivated in 20.98 lakh hectare. The crop contributes Rs 34,100 crore to GDP. More than one crore people depend on this crop for their livelihood.
The Minister informed that the National Horticulture Mission is implementing various aspirational schemes for the integrated development of coconut in the country and through these schemes farmers throughout the country get updated on scientific coconut cultivation, product processing, marketing and export.
The Coconut Development Board has made significant contribution for the remarkable achievements made in the coconut industry in the country. Coconut farmers can be led to prosperity only through value addition of coconut. For this, the Coconut Development Board is implementing the Technology Mission on Coconut programme under which 480 coconut processing units have been established with a capacity to process 274 crore nuts per year.
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