International Scenario of Coconut Sector

Abstract

Coconut, known as the ‘tree of life’, Kalpavriksha, ‘tree of abundance’ and ‘nature’s supermarket’, cultivated in more than 94 countries worldwide, provides livelihood security to millions of people in the Asia and Pacific regions. The coconut industry, which traditionally relied upon copra and coconut oil and to some extent coir, is experiencing tremendous transformation towards product diversification, high-value product development, by-product utilization and more importantly as a health drink. This chapter provides an account of global market dynamics of organic coconut water, virgin coconut oil, functional foods and health drinks from coconut including neera, coconut sugar, cosmeceuticals, oleochemicals and biofuel/bio-lubricants in the consumers’ market. India’s domestic consumption and global export and import of coconut products such as coconut oil, copra meal/copra cake, fresh coconut, desiccated coconut, coconut milk, cream, milk powder, coconut shell charcoal, activated carbon, coir and coir products are also elaborated. Causes for low productivity in coconut across the producing countries and various strategic solutions for increasing production as well as approaches needed to face future global challenges to transform coconut industry into a successful venture are outlined. A brief description of global organizations promoting coconut industry such as APCC, COGENT and BUROTROP is also provided in this chapter.