Coconut Farming : Southeastern Asia is the origin of coconuts, aka Kalpavriksha (the tree of heaven). Various uses are found for this large 80-100 feet palm plant, including food, cosmetics, and utility. India is therefore becoming more popular with coconut farming.
The Indian coconut industry is one of the largest in the world. India also accounted for 34% of the world’s coconut production during 2021-22. It also contributes to India’s GDP in the amount of Rs. 307,498.
The fruit is a fibre-rich fruit that supports 15,000 coir-based industries. It provides food security and a better livelihood to 12 million Indians.
Next to coconut cultivation, coconut farming is the best. Let’s help you with coconut production if you are considering it :
What is the importance of coconut farming?
Tips on how to plant, grow, and harvest coconuts
What is the profit in coconut farming?
Coconut production in the top 10 states during FY 2021-22
Coconut production initiatives in India by the government
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Coconuts: Growing, Planting, and Harvesting
You must follow a few coconut cultivation practices if you wish to pursue coconut farming.
1.Coconut Farming Soil Needs : Coconuts grow best in soils with a pH ranging from 5.2 to 8.0, including alluvial, laterite, red sandy loam, reclaimed, and coastal sandy soils. A good soil retention capacity is essential as well as 1.2 m soil depth. The soil should not contain any rock or hard material deeper than 2 meters.
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Fill a pile of loose soil up to 60 cm deep with cow dung, ash, or ice before planting in laterite soil.
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When working in loamy soils, keep the pit size at 1mx1mx1m, and topsoil depth at 50cm.
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Place coconut husks over the pit in an upward direction to lock in moisture.
The field should be sprinkled with 10% DP after each husk layer to prevent termites from destroying the crop.
2. Planting of coconuts on prepared land : There are various factors that must be considered when preparing land for palm cultivation, such as topography, soil type, and other environmental factors. It is also important to remove weeds and rocks and mark planting holes on the land.
- Soil conservation is crucial if the land is sloppy.
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In cases of high groundwater levels, plants should be planted in mounds.
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It is advisable to practice contour terracing or bunding when the terrain is sloppy or uneven.
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A bund should be created up to a height of 1m above water level in rice fields or low-lying areas.
3.Planting Coconuts in Climatic Conditions : There are a variety of climatic conditions under which coconut palms can grow. It grows between 20°N and 20°S because it is a tropical plant. For maximum growth and production of nuts, rainfall of about 2000mm/year is ideal.
4.Fertilizers and manures for coconut trees : Manuring coconut trees should start as soon as they are planted. During the Southwest monsoon, the soil remains moist, so applying 20-50 kg of manure per palm annually is recommended.
Farmers can apply different types of organic manure such as
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Manure from a farm
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The composting process
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Food made from fish
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The bone meal
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A meal of blood
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The groundnut or neem cake
5. The time to plant coconuts is now : Coconut trees are best planted after the rainy season. Four years after planting, coconut trees begin bearing fruit. The fruits of this tree ripen after about 15 months. It’s usually best to pluck green fruit.
De-weeding and stirring the soil should be done frequently. You can intercrop other seasonal or perennial crops by cleaning the interspace. Do not plant coconuts near other crops.
6.The irrigation of coconuts: It is highly recommended to use drip irrigation for coconut farming because coconut seedlings are highly sensitive at first. Furthermore, drip irrigation prevents coconut roots from dying by providing light moisture.
It is recommended that coconut plants be watered every three days during the summer. The irrigation should be done once a week during the winter months.
It is possible to increase the yield of nuts by 50% by adding 40 liters of water per palm every week. When water is abundant, drip irrigation is highly effective.
7.Coconut harvesting : It takes about 12 months for coconuts to reach maturity. Furthermore, coconut harvesting time can vary from area to area. Coconut products are mainly made from ripe coconuts. It is possible, however, to use eleven-month-old nuts for fibre or for making coir fibre from them. Each tree can be harvested twice to six times a year, yielding 80-100 nuts on average.
The fruit-bearing capacity of a coconut plant decreases with age, but it can live for 65 years.
8. Distribution and marketing of coconuts : The high demand for coconuts makes it easy for farmers to distribute their products to wholesalers and retailers. As coconuts are used for a variety of purposes in the Indian context, they are highly sought after. Coconuts play an important role in Indian culture, religion, cuisine, handicrafts, utensils, and so much more.
As coconuts are consumed in large quantities, you won’t have to market them by stating their benefits. Furthermore, giant nuts themselves can be sold.
Coconut production in India is supported by the government
A number of schemes have been initiated by the Coconut Board of India under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to support the growth, production, and best practices of coconut farming. The Indian Government focuses on the following areas :
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Producing and distributing quality coconut tree planting materials
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Coconut farm expansion
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Technological advancements in agriculture
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Participating in export events with exporters
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Exporters receive training on products specific to exports
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Establishing a global market for coconut to increase revenue
The coconut farming industry: Final thoughts
This article discusses how to plant, grow, and harvest better-yielding coconuts. Whether you’re looking for information about soil composition, planting spaces, and fertiliser schedules, this book has everything you need.
Investing in coconut farming, providing good materials, and taking care of it will increase your profits. In addition to contributing to food security globally, coconut farming provides livelihoods and employment opportunities in rural areas.
The coconut farming business plan therefore requires less capital to invest, which yields interesting revenue figures. Besides these factors, the top 10 Indian states for coconut production show that this type of farming has potential for growth.
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