Kerala, God’s own country is known for greenery and scenic beauty making it one of the top destination spots in the world. Kerala is derived from the word “Kera” meaning Coconut and “Alam “ meaning land.  Thus Kerala is known as the Land of Coconut trees. Kerala is the leading producer of coconut and it contributes 45% of India’s coconut. 

Popularly known as “Kalpa Vriksham” each part of coconut trees have many uses. The leaves are used to make sheds, baskets and crafts etc. The husk used to make coir which is one of the leading industry of Kerala. The shell of the coconut is used for crafts, to make ladles and spoons. Coconut oil is one of the most used cooking oil in Kerala. Of course, coconut is the main ingredient of every Kerala dish. Thus every part of the tree is used in a way or another. Here we are listing the main industry related to coconut.

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos. The term “coconut” (or the archaic “cocoanut”) can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut. The name comes from the old Portuguese word coco, meaning “head” or “skull”, after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features. They are ubiquitous in coastal tropical regions and are a cultural icon of the tropics.

It is one of the most useful trees in the world and is often referred to as the “tree of life”. It provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other uses. The inner flesh of the mature seed, as well as the coconut milk extracted from it, form a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of clear liquid, called coconut water or coconut juice. Mature, ripe coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk. Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking – frying in particular – as well as in soaps and cosmetics. Sweet coconut sap can be made into drinks or fermented into palm wine or coconut vinegar. The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decoration.

The coconut has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in the Western Pacific Austronesian cultures where it features in the mythologies, songs, and oral traditions. It also had ceremonial importance in pre-colonial animistic religions. It has also acquired religious significance in South Asian cultures, where it is used in Hindu rituals. It forms the basis of wedding and worship rituals in Hinduism. It also plays a central role in the Coconut Religion of Vietnam. The falling nature of their mature fruit has led to preoccupation with death by coconut.

Coconuts were first domesticated by the Austronesian peoples in Island Southeast Asia and were spread during the Neolithic via their seaborne migrations as far east as the Pacific Islands, and as far west as Madagascar and the Comoros. They played a critical role in the long sea voyages of Austronesians by providing a portable source of food and water, as well as providing building materials for Austronesian outrigger boats. Coconuts were also later spread in historic times along the coasts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans by South Asian, Arab, and European sailors. Coconut populations today can still be divided into two based on these separate introductions – the Pacific coconuts and Indo-Atlantic coconuts, respectively. Coconuts were introduced by Europeans to the Americas only during the colonial era in the Columbian exchange, but there is evidence of a possible pre-Columbian introduction of Pacific coconuts to Panama by Austronesian sailors. The evolutionary origin of the coconut is under dispute, with theories stating that it may have evolved in Asia, South America, or on Pacific islands. Trees grow up to 30 m (100 ft) tall and can yield up to 75 fruits per year, though fewer than 30 is more typical. Plants are intolerant of cold weather and prefer copious precipitation, as well as full sunlight. Many insect pests and diseases affect the species and are a nuisance for commercial production. About 75% of the world’s supply of coconuts is produced by Indonesia, the Philippines, and India combined.

Caption Coconut trees (Cocos nucifera) along a tropical shoreline. Coconut trees are a type of palm tree that are widespread in the tropical regions of the world. Many parts of the plant are used by humans, including the leaves and wood, and the husk, flesh and water of the coconuts themselves. Photographed in Guam.

It is important to remember that good coconut palm trees may reach their peak production in 15 to 20 years and often produce up to 50 fruits annually. Multilayered fruits are frequently either picked from the plant's top or picked off when they fall to the ground. Even worse, some have a tendency to fall into the water, where they can travel great distances. Shallow fibrous-rooted coconut palm plants that can endure in excessively wet, sandy soils have the propensity to generate male and female flowers on almost the same inflorescence throughout the course of their lifespan and begin self-pollinating. Ultimately, the similarly vivid and somewhat swollen blooms encircle the immature, unripe fruit.
The people of the country typically place a great value on the coconut planting, which is the most important economic crop in the country. It is crucial to maintain the coconut farms secure and the plants healthy all year long so that they can produce as intended.
Tips for planting a healthy coconut tree
When it is warm and humid, it is the ideal and best time to grow a coconut palm plant (Cocos nucifera). So ideally throughout the summer. Nevertheless, an enormous number of coconut transplants are acceptable at any time of the year. The optimal place to transplant a young cacao palm is within 12 inches of rich soil. The coconut palm plant is very native to the Pacific coast, South America, and other countries with tropical conditions, so keep that in mind if you're actually planting coconut seeds. Additionally, unless you typically live in an area with an average annual rainfall of 60 inches and a relative humidity of 70 to 80%, do not plant coconut seeds outdoors. That is, unless you want to grow them in a real greenhouse.
These plants also thrive in coastal locations, which should be avoided at all costs while it's cold outside. Like tall varieties, they do not thrive in exceptionally strong gusts. It is recommended to protect them from all these dangers. Although the root system is quite shallow, planting coconut plantings must be done in sandy, loamy, well-drained soil for them to take root. This way it will start under the best circumstances and fairly quickly. For most in-ground plants, you will need to dig a hole that is at least 1 foot deep and 2 to 3 feet wide.
Coconut planting roots should also be planted just an inch or two under the soil surface. For most of the container-grown coco, a neatly placed pot with about 3 gallons in volume an estimate of 12 inches deep is considered the best. For the coconut plantings that are grown on the earth in most of the coastal areas where there are proper climate conditions and the ocean currents seem to be right, the farmers can go on to construct beds that are also multiple feet high and extremely wide, which tends to promote drainage away from the roots. Coco roots are also extremely sensitive to rot when found in low-lying areas. The space for the in-ground coconut palm plants is at least 100 feet apart to prevent overcrowding.
Sun and temperature for coconut planting
As a coconut palm plant (Cocos nucifera) tends to thrive well in the tropics, it usually needs the full direct sun for at least 6 hours within a day.  Coconut palm plants are also extremely sensitive to the cold. They can take on severe forms of damage at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes at continuous temperatures of 30 degrees, the coconut palm plants will surely die. That is probably why it’s so very important to ensure that your coconuts have the appropriate temperature conditions. Just as long as the overall humidity is at least 70%, there is a possibility that the coconut seeds can end up taking quite a fair bit of heat. Often times the dry heat is not that good for them. If there isn’t proper humidity there is a chance that the fruit drop can even occur.
Water and moisture of coconut farms
As soon as the sun comes up, water coconut palms near the base of the trunk until the top two inches of soil are suffic