Bhubaneswar, Sept 2: While India has secured the third slot in coconut production in the world, Odisha has remained in the fifth position in the country, according to the Coconut Development Board(CDB).
The Fani cyclone in 2019 devastated more than 1.4 million indigenous coconut trees in the state which affected the production.
Though coconut production had decreased after cyclone Fani devastated more than 1.4 million indigenous coconut trees in the state in 2019, not the state has returned to its position following the growth of hybrid coconut varieties.
Dwarf variety of hybrid coconut plantations is a low-cost solution to develop climate resilience.
Hybrid dwarf coconut farming provides more remunerative and resilient farming opportunities with more productivity and it limits risks that are associated with conventional tall coconut varieties.
Odisha produced coconut from 3240 lakh to 3540 lakh per annum between 2013 and 2019, according to the CDB. The production was reduced to 286 lakh after Cyclone Fani in 2019.
Odisha further secured the third position producing 396 lakh coconuts in 2020 and 2022.
World Coconut Day is celebrated every year on September 2 to promote the importance of coconut. The day was first celebrated in 2009 by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). APCC comprises 19 coconut-producing countries in the Asia Pacific region.
