State PCS - Jharkhand (JPSC)

• 20 Mar 2026

India Emerged as World’s Largest Coconut Producer

Why in News? 

India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of coconuts, contributing about 30.37% of global coconut production, and the Government of India has announced a Coconut Promotion Scheme in Union Budget 2026‑27 to boost production and productivity in the sector. 

Key Points: 

• Global Leadership: India accounts for approximately 30.37% of the world’s coconut output, making it the leading producer globally. 
• Major Coconut‑Growing States: The key producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, which together account for the bulk of production. 
  • Coconut cultivation in India covers about 2,165.20 thousand hectares out of the global 12,390 thousand hectares of coconut‑growing area. 
  • The country produces around 21,373.62 million nuts annually, highlighting the crop’s importance to agricultural output. 
• Livelihood Support: Nearly 30 million people, including about 10 million farmers, depend on coconut cultivation and allied activities for their livelihoods. 
• Scheme: The Government has introduced the Coconut Promotion Scheme in the Union Budget 2026‑27 to increase production and enhance productivity through interventions like replacing old and unproductive trees with high‑yielding varieties. 
  • This initiative is part of a broader ₹350 crore allocation for high‑value agriculture, which also includes support for cashew and cocoa cultivation.  
• Significance: The scheme aims to strengthen India’s competitiveness in coconut production, improve farmer incomes, and enhance sustainability and productivity in the sector.  

Read More: Union Budget 2026‑27