World Coconut Day celebration 2019 at Bhubaneswar, Odisha

BHUBANESWAR:
Coconut Development Board is celebrating 21 st World Coconut Day on the theme Coconut for Family Wellness on 2 nd September at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar  Odisha. Around 500 farmers from all coconut growing states across the country and coconut based entrepreneurs will participate in the programme.

The focus of the programme will be a technical session handled by subject matter specialists for creating awareness on the goodness of coconut and also for equipping the farmers with the latest and upto date scientific practices in coconut management, processing, value addition and export. An exhibition showcasing various innovative value added products of coconut and latest technologies in coconut sector is also scheduled at the premises of Campus 7 of KIIT university.

Narendra Singh Tomar,Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India will be the Chief Guest and Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha will preside over the programme. Susant Kumar Rout, MLA, North Bhubaneswar, Saurabh Garg, Principal Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment, Government of Odisha and Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary, Dept. of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Government of India will be the Guests of Honour. Usha Rani, Chairman, Coconut Development Board will deliver the welcome address and Dr. Biswanath Rath ,Vice Chairman, Coconut Development Board will propose the vote of thanks.

All coconut growing countries in the Asia and Pacific region observe 2nd September as World Coconut Day every year. The foundation day of the International Coconut Community (ICC), an intergovernmental organization established under the area of UNESCAP is observed as the World Coconut Day in the member countries. The objective of observing coconut day is to create increased awareness and importance of coconut and help focus national and international attention to this crop. In India, World Coconut Day is celebrated every year under the aegis of Coconut Development Board.

India is leading in coconut production and productivity and occupies the third position in area under coconut among the major coconut producing countries of the world. In India, coconut is grown in 20.97 lakh hectare and the annual coconut production and productivity of the country is 2379.823 crore nuts and 11350 nuts per hectare respectively.

The state of Odisha occupies the fifth position among other coconut growing states in the country with regard to the area under coconut cultivation. The crop is grown in an area of 50910 hectare and about 34.17 crore coconuts are produced annually with a productivity of 6712 nuts per ha,. Puri, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagat Singh Pur, Gajapati are the few districts where coconut is cultivated in the State. Bulk of the coconut produced in the state is utilized for religious purposes and domestic consumption.

In Odisha, during the past 10 years, the central government through Coconut Development Board has extended financial assistance for expansion of area under coconut for around 2400 hectare, and more than 7.5 lakh seedlings are produced in state government farms with the support of the Board. Under integrated farming programme, around 3700 hectare is covered with financial assistance of Rs. 18.90 crore. During the last 10 years, the Board has expended Rs. 23.93 crore under various developmental schemes in the State of Odisha.

Apart from this Coconut Development Board is extending additional support of an amount Rs. 29.659 crores as financial assistance to the coconut growers affected by the Fani cyclone in the state through the Replanting and Rejuvenation programme.