The World Coconut Day is celebrated on September 2 each year. The day highlights coconut’s economic, social, and environmental significance. Coconut cultivation spans 12.2 million hectares across 90+ countries, producing about 67 billion nuts yearly. Objectives Promote coconut-related activities that sustain livelihoods Empower smallholder farmers and coconut industries Stimulate scientific research and share updated insights Encourage innovation and technology adoption Raise awareness of coconut's benefits Theme for 2026 The 2026 theme is Coconuts in Times of Uncertainty: Securing Food, Energy, and Livelihoods. Coconut production in India The coconut palm is referred to as ‘Kalpavriksha’ – the ‘tree of heaven’ as each and every part of the palm is useful in one way or the other. India ranks first in coconut production among the 90 coconut-growing countries of the world, accounting for 18.37% of the global area under cultivation and 30.37% of total production. In terms of productivity as well, India stands at the forefront with an average yield of 9,019 nuts per hectare, which is significantly higher than the world average of 5,457 nuts per hectare. Ten million people in India depend on coconut for their livelihood either directly or indirectly. India ranks third in area and first in production of coconut in the world. As per the latest statistics available (2024-25), the annual coconut production in India is 20.3 billion nuts from an area of 2.19 million ha with an average productivity of 9249 nuts/ha. Nearly 90% of the country‘s coconut area and production are concentrated in the southern peninsular region, encompassing the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Among them, Kerala accounts for the largest area under cultivation, Tamil Nadu leads in total production, while Andhra Pradesh records the highest productivity. Coconut Development Board (CDB) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India for the integrated development of coconut cultivation and industry in the country with focus on productivity increase and product diversification. For more information, click here.