‘Coconut for family wellness’
Observance of World Coconut Day in Kohima on September 2. (Morung Photo)
Nagaland observes World Coconut Day 2019
Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 2
The need to push large scale production of Coconut has been stressed during the observance of 21st World Coconut Day here at the Directorate of Horticulture under the theme “Coconut for family wellness.”
Delivering keynote address, state’s horticulture director Dr. R. Elithung Lotha said that Coconut holds a very important position in the country. Maintaining that Coconut is a very important economic crop, he stressed on the need to focus towards large scale production. Coconut is used for various purposes not only the nut as none of its portion is wasted.
He said that Coconut Day was initially celebrated by the fishing community and that Coconut holds important in the life of the fishing community. Stating that Coconut is like sort of an investment, he said “Once it is matured it becomes a permanent source of income for our farmers.”
Coconut is grown in the certain portion of Peren, Dimapur, Wokha, Longleng, Mokokchung and Mon districts in Nagaland.
Horticulture extension assistant Asangmenla in a power point presentation informed that Coconut covers 20.99 lakh ha in 16 states and 4 union territories in India. The annual production stands at 24.378 million nuts. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh contributes 92% of area and 93% of the Coconut production.
She informed that annual coconut production contributes more than Rs.25,000 crore to GDP, adding that 12 million households depends on coconut for their livelihood.
As per region wise area and production of coconut in India (2017-18), Nagaland figured 1.18 ha with 0.06% share in area. She said that every part of the coconut and the tree has virtually got a use and has been used in different ways.
Asangmenla said that coconut palm supplies food, drink and shelter and also supplies raw material to number of industries intimately connected with domestic as well as economic life.
She felt that all efforts should be made to promote the cultivation practices and value added products of coconut.
Earlier, the function was chaired by Y. Bongti Konyak, deputy director of horticulture, Directorate of Horticulture, Kohima, Nagaland while horticulture officer T. Amenla proposed vote of thanks.
The programme was organized by department of horticulture Nagaland and sponsored by Coconut Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Government of India.
