Coconut Festival

Coconut palm the Kalpavriksha is Natures great boon to the healthy and wealthy life of mankind Coconut is known to have been cultivated for thousands of years in our country Coconut is an inevitable part of our culture and tradition religious and social practices folk lore food and drink In folklores coconut is the fruit which provides nutrition it is our heritage and our legacy The tree is mankinds true friend and a symbol of national integration Every year 2nd September is celebrated as World Coconut Day to commemorate the formation day of Asian Pacific Coconut Community APCC APCC is an Inter Governmental Organization of 18 member countries mandated to promote coordinate and harmonize coconut developmental activities of the Asian Pacific region to achieve maximum economic development India is one of the founder members of APCC In India World Coconut Day is celebrated every year under the aegis of Coconut Development Board in various coconut growing states across the country Along with the Nation World Coconut Day is also celebrated in these Islands by the Department of Agriculture A N Administration with an objective to promote sustainable income to coconut growers who are involved in its cultivation and product utilization Since coconut is the major crop and is considered as one of the most important remunerative crop of these Islands. The main economy of the people directly depends on this crop The islands have over 1790380 ha under coconut with an Annual production of 13176 Million nut During this year on the eve of World Tourism Day special emphasis to coconut palm products the Department of Agriculture A N Administration will celebrate the Coconut Festival in association with NGO Hand in Hand jointly with Tourism Department on 25th Sept 2022 at Corbyn's Cove beach in Port Blair and other rural areas like Diglipur, Hutbay, Campbell Bay, Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep. To mark the day and to encourage and motivate the coconut growers various events like competition on Coconut based recipes Salescum Exhibition of Value Added products of coconut will be organized by involving farmers SHGs NGOs etc.