New Delhi: Coconut is one of the most versatile fruits with multiple benefits. It is edible, and its oil can also be applied to the skin. It contains various anti-fungal, antiviral, antioxidants, and antibacterial elements. It is also an economically affordable fruit as well. World Coconut Day is celebrated every year on September 2. The day is celebrated to highlight and raise awareness about the importance and benefits of coconut.
World Coconut Day is celebrated mostly in Asian-Pacific countries by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). It is an intergovernmental organisation that supervises and facilitates Asian-pacific states that produce coconut. The date was chosen because it is the date when APCC was founded. The first World Coconut Day was celebrated on this day in 2009.
Coconut belongs to the drupe family and is mostly found in tropical countries. This fruit is celebrated the most in the Asian-pacific region.
Currently, Indonesia is the top producer of Coconut, followed by India in the third position.
This year, keeping in mind the coronavirus pandemic, the theme is “Building a Safe Inclusive Resilient and Sustainable Coconut Community Amid COVID-19 Pandemic & Beyond”.
India founded the Coconut Development Board (CDB) – a statutory body under the ministry of agriculture, which aims to develop the “tree of life” and the products related to it. With its headquarters in Kochi, Kerala, the CDB organises programmes in the country on World Coconut Day.
The day is marked by seminars and awareness campaigns, with many farmers and businessmen exchanging ideas about coconut production and how to increase it.
In India, coconuts are cultivated in states including West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. They are even grown in the north-eastern part of the country, with almost 33,493 hectares of land being dedicated to cultivating coconuts.
