A Date with Coconut

Happy World Coconut Day! Yes, you read that right. Are you surprised that the good ol’ husky coconut has a day to itself? Indeed, why would it not ?

World across, 56 million metric tons of Coconut is produced and it ranks among the most consumed fruits worldwide. With the rough and tough look from the exterior, the nut-fruit can be quite deceiving. But once you get past that, you will be greeted by the sweet and pulpy inner core. Later comes the coconut water. It’s a complete multi-sensory delicacy. Over and above all this Coconut is the major source of lactic acid other than mother’s milk. And the best part is that all of this comes in an organic eco-friendly package.

Hence, being one of nature’s most versatile products, with uses ranging from food and drink to cosmetics and decoration, it is entitled to be celebrated. It is this realisation which lead to the World Coconut Day. A day celebrated on September 2nd every year to emphasize and spread awareness about the value and advantages of coconuts. The inaugural World Coconut Day was observed on September 2, 2009, by the Asia-Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) to draw attention to the value of coconuts and their influence on society.

The International Coconut Community selects the World Coconut Day themes. The World Coconut Day theme for this year is “Growing Coconut for a Better Future and Life”.

With the help of the Coconut Development Board (CDB), a statutory body established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India for the integrated development of coconut cultivation and industry in the country, this day is observed across India in states like Kerala, Karnataka and Tami Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which collectively account for 90.04% of the coconut production in the country, along with other coconut-producing states in the country like West Bengal, Orissa and Gujarat.

Scientifically speaking, Coconut is a member of the drupe family and is mostly found in tropical countries. It is most popular in the Asia-Pacific region. The Coconut palm is frequently referred to as the “tree of life” because of its multifaceted uses as food, fuel, medicine, cosmetics, building materials, and many other things. The coconut palm is referred to as “Kalpavriksha,” or “tree of heaven” in Sanskrit as it provides all that is required for survival. Through the hands of Arab sailors, the coconut made its way from India to the coast of East Africa and from Southeast Asia to the west of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and to the east of the Pacific, thanks to the Austronesian sailors. And it continues to traverse lands unknown and satiate the hunger and thirst of the people of nations across the world.

So, in a nutshell, a coconut is, well, simply a coconut. (Pun intended)