It also had ceremonial importance in pre-colonial animistic religions. The importance of the coconut in Austronesian cultures is evidenced by shared terminology of even very specific parts and uses of coconuts, which were carried outwards from the Philippines during the Austronesian migrations. [147][148], Coconut vinegar, made from fermented coconut water or sap, is used extensively in Southeast Asian cuisine (notably the Philippines, where it is known as sukang tuba), as well as in some cuisines of India and Sri Lanka, especially Goan cuisine. coconut, edible fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), a tree of the palm family (Arecaceae). Drift models based on wind and ocean currents have shown that coconuts could not have drifted across the Pacific unaided. Since these fruits are likewise high in fat, they can help your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K. Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm. The decoration of foots is astringent and is used as mouth was and gargle. [49][11][65][64], Another ancestral variety is the niu leka of Polynesia (sometimes called the "Compact Dwarfs"). The socio-economic importance of coconut sector in Jamaica Although agriculture's contribution to Jamaica's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has steadily declined over the past two decades (and in 2009 stood at 5.2%), this sector absorbs 20% of the country's employed labour force. of tender .coconut and is used as refreshing and agreeable drink and as a useful substitute for saline glucose in intravenous infusion. [3][4] It has also acquired religious significance in South Asian cultures, where it is used in Hindu rituals. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 59 (7): 995. It is cultivated by about 11 million farmers on 12 million hectares; 80% of total production comes from Asia (Adkins et al., 2006). [78], A more controversial method employed by a small number of coconut farmers in Thailand and Malaysia use trained pig-tailed macaques to harvest coconuts. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports the top producers are the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and India. Indonesia overtook it in 2010. [4], A study in 2011 identified two highly genetically differentiated subpopulations of coconuts, one originating from Island Southeast Asia (the Pacific group) and the other from the southern margins of the Indian subcontinent (the Indo-Atlantic group). However they are mainly present as decoration, and the Australian coconut industry is small; Australia is a net importer of coconut products. This invertebrate builds armor from coconut halves", "Indonesia's veined octopus 'stilt walks' to collect coconut shells", "Coconut Fruit Of Lustre In Indian Culture", "How the Zulu coconut was saved from extinction", "Living Heritage Marcellin College Sina and the Eel", "The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Seaman The Arabian Nights The Thousand and One Nights Sir Richard Burton translator", Coconut revival new possibilities for the 'tree of life', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coconut&oldid=1136466340, Mean daily temperature above 1213C (5455F) every day of the year, Mean annual rainfall above 1,000mm (39in). Very very educational many thanx for your elaborate description.Raheem, Your email address will not be published. The fats in the coconut minimize the pores that attract dirt and bacteria and prevent skin from getting damaged. Her articles have appeared in "Newton Magazine" and she has contributed to myriad popular books, including "Masters of Deception" and "Click: The Ultimate Photography Guide for Generation Now." [66] However, it can also be argued that the placement of the vulnerable eye of the nut (down when floating), and the site of the coir cushion are better positioned to ensure that the water-filled nut does not fracture when dropping on rocky ground, rather than for flotation. After the first six to nine years, the coconut palm bears fruit, producing roughly 50 fruits per tree per year, up to 300. Overall, unsweetened coconut meat makes a great addition to a balanced diet. It is also popular in Indonesia (where it is known as kopyor) for making beverages. [140][141] It can also be fermented to produce a jelly-like dessert known as nata de coco. The coir is used to make brooms in Cambodia.[158]. According to epidemiological research published in 1981, a group of Polynesians for whom coconut represented 60% of the daily diet had no evidence of heart disease or hypercholesterolemia, despite the high lauric and myristic acid intake. Coconut oil is moisturizing and has been used for centuries as a hair tonic and skin care product. Coconuts are grown in more than 93 countries in the world and therefore there is considerable scope to develop coir industry in further countries. The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos. [58], The extent of cultivation in the tropics is threatening a number of habitats, such as mangroves; an example of such damage to an ecoregion is in the Petenes mangroves of the Yucatn. [70], Given that coconuts are ideally suited for inter-island group ocean dispersal, obviously some natural distribution did take place. The 2014 coral atoll origin hypothesis proposed that the coconut had dispersed in an island hopping fashion using the small, sometimes transient, coral atolls. It has great demand in confectionary and other good industries. [1] The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut")[2] can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut. Some dried coconut is purely coconut, but others are manufactured with other ingredients, such as sugar, propylene glycol, salt, and sodium metabisulfite. [101][102], Traditional areas of coconut cultivation in India are the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and, Gujarat and the islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar. From fermented today alcohol is prepared. [114], The coconut palm is grown throughout the tropics for decoration, as well as for its many culinary and nonculinary uses; virtually every part of the coconut palm can be used by humans in some manner and has significant economic value. A hard shell encloses the embryo with its abundant endosperm, composed of both meat and liquid. Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for irritated, chafed skin. [45] They are now almost ubiquitous between 26N and 26S except for the interiors of Africa and South America. The mesocarp is composed of a fiber, called coir, which has many traditional and commercial uses. Some cultivars such as 'Fiji dwarf' form a large bulb at the lower stem and others are cultivated to produce very sweet coconut water with orange-colored husks (king coconut) used entirely in fruit stalls for drinking (Sri Lanka, India). Although these numbers are modest, coconut is an important food crop in Sri Lanka in that it provides [184], In March 1521, a description of the coconut was given by Antonio Pigafetta writing in Italian and using the words "cocho"/"cochi", as recorded in his journal after the first European crossing of the Pacific Ocean during the Magellan circumnavigation and meeting the inhabitants of what would become known as Guam and the Philippines. Bertrand, Mireille. The ancient coconut groves of Dhofar were mentioned by the medieval Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta in his writings, known as Al Rihla. In Cambodia, the roots are used in traditional medicine as a treatment for dysentery. The Philippines and Indonesia lead in copra production, and throughout the South Pacific copra is one of the most important export products. Coconut Tree is commonly found in coastal areas. [180], According to urban legend, more deaths are caused by falling coconuts than by sharks annually. The conditions required for coconut trees to grow without any care are: The main limiting factor for most locations which satisfy the rainfall and temperature requirements is canopy growth, except those locations near coastlines, where the sandy soil and salt spray limit the growth of most other trees. [78] Manually climbing trees is traditional in most countries and requires a specific posture that exerts pressure on the trunk with the feet. Coconut Research Center. [57] Thor Heyerdahl provides an alternative, and much shorter, estimate based on his first-hand experience crossing the Pacific Ocean on the raft Kon-Tiki:[68]. A coconut (Sanskrit: narikela) is an essential element of rituals in Hindu tradition. [45], Modern genetic studies have identified the center of origin of coconuts as being the Central Indo-Pacific, the region between western Southeast Asia and Melanesia, where it shows greatest genetic diversity. [164] The smell of coconuts comes from the 6-pentyloxan-2-one molecule, known as -decalactone in the food and fragrance industries. Copra prices went down and plantations were neglected or under-planted with other crops. Perera, Champa K. Bandaranayake and Hugh C. Harries. What are the benefits of coconut products? Coconut oil and milk are ingredients in cooking, frying, soaps and cosmetics, and foods like margarine and popcorn. In Vanuatu, coconut palms for copra production are generally spaced 9m (30ft) apart, allowing a tree density of 100 to 160 per hectare (40 to 65 per acre). ", "Indian state decides coconut trees are no longer trees but palms", "Medieval Sourcebook: Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 13251354", "Coconut Industry in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Export Development Board", "Australia has a lot of coconut palms so why don't we have a coconut industry? However, Cocos is not thought to be indigenous to South America, and the highest genetic diversity is present in Asian Cocos, indicating that at least the modern species Cocos nucifera is native to there. [176], It was the main food of adherents of the now discontinued Vietnamese religion o Da. As of 2006, the U. Coconut is a crop of small and marginal farmers since 98% of about five million coconut holdings in the country are less than two hectares. The Coconut Palm (Cocos Nucifera L.) is referred as The Tree of Life due to its incredible value to man and the incredible number of products and by-products that can be created from it. Consumers feel that fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are the healthiest formats available for processed fruits and vegetables, which has allowed the fresh-cut category to prosper. Hawaiians hollowed the trunk to form drums, containers, or small canoes. Since then, numerous other fossils of similar fruits were recovered throughout New Zealand from the Eocene, Oligocene, and possibly the Holocene. Traditional Training of Pig-tailed Macaques as Coconut HarvestersM Bertrand; Science; Jan 1967. It contributes 2 per cent to Sri Lankas GDP, 2.5 per cent to export earnings and 5 per cent to employment. Coconut is the most versatile tree in the world and is known as "the tree of life". The endocarp or shell is used for fuel for making shell charcoal, activated carbon etc. These provide substantial circumstantial evidence that deliberate Austronesian voyagers were involved in carrying coconuts across the Pacific Ocean and that they could not have dispersed worldwide without human agency. When left to ferment on its own, it becomes palm wine. The coconut palm thrives on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. Narali Purnima is celebrated on a full moon day which usually signifies the end of monsoon season in India. All of these introductions are within the last few centuries, relatively recent in comparison to the spread of Pacific coconuts.[49]. Request Answer. In addition to its use as a food, the coconut is also a source of oil, which is used in cooking and in the production of a range of products, including soaps, cosmetics, and candles. The queen palm was originally classified in the genus Cocos along with the coconut, but was later reclassified in Syagrus. This is in line with our tagline, Office : [84] Modern methods use hydraulic elevators mounted on tractors or ladders. Coconut palms require warm conditions for successful growth, and are intolerant of cold weather. Fishermen give an offering of coconut to the sea to celebrate the beginning of a new fishing season. It might cause fullness or stomach upset in some people. For example, the Polynesian and Melanesian term niu; Tagalog and Chamorro term niyog; and the Malay word nyiur or nyior. [112] Proteins from coconut may cause food allergy, including anaphylaxis. [121][122], Both Malauhog and Malakanin coconut meat of immature fruits can be eaten as is or used in salads, drinks, desserts, and pastries such as buko pie and es kelapa muda. Coconut copra, used to make coconut oil, is prepared at the coconut farms, using very simple techniques and taken to large scale oil mills through a complex and speculative marketing system. Man cannot subsist solely on cereal grains. Mature Malakatad coconut meat has a tough texture and thus are processed before consumption or made into copra. The fruit may also be damaged by eriophyid coconut mites (Eriophyes guerreronis). The white flesh of a coconut can be used in lots of different ways. Traditional Training of Pig-tailed Macaques as Coconut HarvestersM Bertrand; Science; Jan 1967. Coconut oil, aside from being used in cooking as an ingredient and for frying, is used in soaps, cosmetics, hair oil, and massage oil. Harvesting and Yield in Lucerne Cultivation, Important Problems of Coconut Cultivation, Farming Systems & Sustainable Agriculture, Breeding of Field and Horticultural Crops agriculture information, Fundamentals to Entomology agriculture information, Production Techniques for Biological Control Agents, Practicals on Technology of Milk & Milk Products agriculture information, Economics of Natural Resources & Farm Management agriculture information. Coconut plantations can provide wildlife and habitat conservation economic buffer zones. From this vinegar jaggery and sugar is prepared. 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. Rich in fiber and MCTs, it may offer a number of benefits, including improved heart health, weight loss, and digestion. It can be reduced further to yield coconut sugar also referred to as palm sugar or jaggery. Riung Wangi III No.53, Bandung, West Java. According to the Just Change Trust in India, over 500 million coconut palms are cultivated in tropical regions, where coconuts are the prime source of fats and protein for more than 400 million people. [160], Coir (the fiber from the husk of the coconut) is used in ropes, mats, doormats, brushes, and sacks, as caulking for boats, and as stuffing fiber for mattresses. Nata de coco, also called coconut gel, is another jelly-like coconut product made from fermented coconut water. Coconuts' versatility is sometimes noted in its naming. In the Philippines, the coconut is commonly called the "tree of life". As per 201415 statistics from Coconut Development Board of Government of India, four southern states combined account for almost 90% of the total production in the country: Tamil Nadu (33.8%), Karnataka (25.2%), Kerala (24.0%), and Andhra Pradesh (7.2%). [13] Like other fruits, it has three layers: the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. Most less-developed countries depend on agriculture as a major source of income and employment. The Coconut Palm Cocos Nucifera L. See also Can You Drink Malibu If You'Re Allergic To Coconut? [182] The earliest direct description is given by Cosmas Indicopleustes in his Topographia Christiana written around 545, referred to as "the great nut of India". The use of coconut branches in corporal punishment was revived in the Gilbertese community on Choiseul in the Solomon Islands in 2005. [72] Yellowing diseases affect plantations in Africa, India, Mexico, the Caribbean and the Pacific Region. The fragments are dated to approximately 1000BCE, suggesting that cultivation and artificial selection of coconuts were already practiced by the Austronesian Lapita people. The production of coconuts plays an important role in the economy, with 25% of cultivated land (around 3.56 million hectares) used for coconut plantations and approximately 25 to 33% of the population reliant on coconuts for their livelihood. In the west coast of India, the palm is an essential component in the homestead system of farming. As of 2006, the U.S. annually imported 190 million pounds of coconut oil, whose worldwide trade reached $20 million. The export of spices generates foreign exchange earnings of Rs. How do you choose the best tender coconut. In 1987, a "coconut law" was signed by Governor Edwin Edwards exempting from insurance liability any decorated coconut "handed" from a Zulu float. Self Magazine. Economic Role Coconut palms yield roughly 20 percent of the market's oils and fats, Just Change Trust estimates. Malakatad (literally "leather-like") refers to fully mature coconut meat (around 8 to 9 months old) with an opaque white appearance, a tough rubbery to leathery texture, and is difficult to separate from the shell. Malauhog has a "solid" sound when tapped, while Malakanin and Malakatad produce a "hollow" sound. [183] Another early mention of the coconut dates back to the "One Thousand and One Nights" story of Sinbad the Sailor wherein he bought and sold a coconut during his fifth voyage. In many parts of the world, the cultivation and sale of coconuts is a major source of income, especially for those living in rural areas. The coconut sector in the past has been dominated by products, copra and coconut oil, and the international coconut trade used to be driven by the demand for . The coconut has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in the Western Pacific Austronesian cultures where it features in their mythologies, songs, and oral traditions. [citation needed], Indonesia is the world's largest producer of coconuts, with gross production of 15million tonnes. [131][86], Coconut milk powder, a protein-rich powder can be processed from coconut milk following centrifugation, separation, and spray drying. Demand grew by 8 percent annually during 1993 to 2004. [23] However, there is some evidence that it may be polygamomonoecious and may occasionally have bisexual flowers. What's Funny About The Business Of Monkeys Picking Coconuts? The UAE has, however, imposed strict laws on mature coconut tree imports from other countries to reduce the spread of pests to other native palm trees, as the mixing of date and coconut trees poses a risk of cross-species palm pests, such as rhinoceros beetles and red palm weevils. Sri Lanka established its Coconut Development Authority and Coconut Cultivation Board and Coconut Research Institute in the early British Ceylon period.[109].

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