New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Scientists should focus more on improving coconut varieties that are not only high-yielding, early fruit bearing and easy to harvest, but also resistant to pests and disease that affect production, said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Saturday.

"We are well aware of the great damage that has been caused to coconut cultivation and coconut farmers by the mite infestation, which has spread to almost all coconut growing states," Pawar said addressing a meet organised by the Coconut Development Board to mark World Coconut Day.

"Our research needs to focus on identifying such varieties that are resistant to mites. Similarly, a new approach has to be taken to address the problem of root wilt which has adversely affected the production and productivity of the crop, particularly in important coconut-growing states like Kerala," Pawar said.

He urged research institutes, industries and entrepreneurs to focus on developing innovative products from the coconut.

Coconut water is much in demand as a health drink, its kernel for making chips and other produce and its husk for making ropes and mats. It is also used widely for religious purposes.

India is the third largest producer of coconut after the Philippines and Indonesia, both of which export half their produce or coconut-based products.
Globally, coconut is grown in 93 countries on nearly 12 million hectares of land.

In India, it is grown in 18 states. Around 10 million people - farmers as well as processors - are engaged in activities related to coconut. Coconut oil, which is more expensive than other edible oils like palm, soybean, sunflower and rapeseed, has witnessed a dip in global trade over the years.

"The real threat to coconut is the diseases that destroy small farmers - and not cheap palm oil," said Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi. He urged scientists of the Indian Council of Agricultural Affairs (ICAR) to find out ways to check the spread of the diseases that were leading to falling yield.

Minnie Mathew, chairman of the Coconut Development Board, said not only was coconut yield being affected by disease but also the size and quality of the kernel and the fibre yield per nut, which was affecting the coir industry, especially in Kerala.

As over 100,000 coir workers depend on coconut husk to make coir fibre and other products, it is important for Kerala's economy to have more raw material (husk) available, said Ravi. Though Tamil Nadu is able to supply some of the raw material it is not sufficient to meet Kerala's demand, he said.

To tide over this problem, Kerala is now utilising the services of women self help groups (SHGs) to collect coconut husk from homes, said Mathew.

"Currently only 32 percent of the husk of the coconut crop grown in the state makes it to the coir production centres. With the help of SHGs we hope to overcome the problem of coir fibre shortage," he told IANS.