Impact of Water Pollution on Coconut Cultivation in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu

Abstract

In this paper the study on impact of water pollution with respect to coconut cultivation was done. Water is regarded as polluted when it is changed in quality or composition, directly or indirectly as a result of human activities. Coconut is the benevolent provider of the basic needs of millions of people across the globe, for their livelihood security. Coconut is grown in more than 93 countries of the world and Indonesia, Philippines, India are the major producing countries of the world. Forty-seven (47) of the seventy-seven ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) member countries produced 4.59 million tons of coconuts in 2009 on 1.7 million hectares. This represented 7.4 % of world production. Coconut in India is mostly a small holders crop contributing to about Rs. 83,000 million annually which is about 2 % of the contribution of agriculture and allied sectors with more than 10 million farming families dependent on the crop for their livelihood. India is one of the largest producers of coconut. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of water pollution on coconut production in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu. The important objectives of this study are to analyze the area, production and productivity of coconut in the study area and the need for fresh water irrigation for coconut cultivation. In order to obtain the objectives of this study, the secondary data was used for the period 2000–2013. This study is descriptive type in nature where simple percentage tables and diagrams were used for analysis purpose.