Coconut plays a significant role in India’s agricultural economy. It is widely used in the manufacture of hair oils, soaps, cosmetics, and other industrial products, its husk is a source of fibre that supports a large coir industry. Coconut oil (VCO), extracted from fresh coconut kernels without any chemical processing, is abundant in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, thus making it the ‘mother of all oils.
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka are India’s major coconut producing states, accounting for more than 90% of production. However, there is a great scope for enhancing the productivity of coconut through the adoption of scientific cultivation technologies, which are described here.
Here Described the coconut Farming all steps Below
How to Start Coconut Farming
You need to know the essential sections to help in profitable commercial farming when you start a plant to plant. We can provide information related to more reliable tractors in coconut farming. You can use the Mahindra Arjun 605 tractor any other, which aids in the whole process of cultivation. Here we are describing information about starting and operating successful coconut farming.
Site Selection
First, you need to select a very good site/location to start your commercial coconut farm. Coconut plants are very hardy and can be grown in various soils. For growing coconut plants, the preferred soil types are loam, laterite, coastal sandy, alluvial, clay, and marshy lowland reclaimed soil.
Prepare Soil
The key to a successful coconut farming business is to prepare the soil thoroughly. Add as much organic material as you can while preparing the soil. Also, use some chemical fertilisers recommended by an expert. The selected land should have a proper drainage system and good water holding capacity to produce better.
Climate Requirements
Coconut plants are very hardy and strong and can be grown in a wide variety of climatic conditions. Coconut is a tropical plant. The ideal temperature for commercial coconut cultivation is 27 ± 5° and humidity > 60%. These plants can tolerate a distribution of rainfall and a wide intensity range.
However, a well-distributed rainfall of about 200 cm per year is ideal for better production and proper growth. In areas where rainfall is insufficient, irrigation is required.
Coconut Varieties
Coconut varieties/varieties are classified into two groups, namely dwarf and tall varieties. The dwarf variety is highly productive, but the tall variety usually produces less.
The variety of dwarf is shorter in stature and has a shorter life span than the tall one. Whereas the tall varieties grown on a large scale are West Coast Tall and East Coast Tall. Dwarf x Tall and Tall x Dwarf are two important hybrids.
Propagation
Farmers propagate the coconut plants from seed nuts. You should collect the seed nuts when they reach the maturity level. Between seed nuts and germination, coconuts have no dormant period. They can plant the seed nuts directly when they do not require pre-planting treatment.
Planting
Fill the pits with topsoil and cow dung powder or manure to a depth of 0.5 to 0.6 m. You should plant this at least 1 month before planting. Then make a small hole inside the main pit to accommodate the nuts attached to the seedling. Next, plant saplings inside this pit and fill it with soil. After planting, tamp the soil well to avoid water stagnation. If there is a possibility of white-ant attack, apply Sevidol 8g (5g) inside the small pit before planting.
Spacing
In most cases, a square planting system with a spacing of 7.5 m x 7.5 m is considered best for planting coconuts. And this distance is enough to keep 177 plants per hectare.
Caring of Young Plants
Plants planted during the summer months should be shaded and adequately irrigated. Also, provide staking so that the winds do not uproot the young plant.
Irrigate the seedlings twice a week for the first two years after planting during the dry summer month. After that, shading is necessary for transplanted seedlings.
Fertilizing
Providing plants with enough fertiliser is the key to good production from your trees. Regular fertilization is necessary from the first year of planting to get high productivity. Organic manure not only keeps the plants healthy but also helps them to produce more.
Watering
Coconut plants respond well to irrigation in summer. And by doing summer irrigation at the rate of 40 litres per tree per week, the yield of dry fruits will increase by 50%.
But under basin irrigation, once in 4 days, about 200 litres of water per tree will be beneficial. You can also use drip irrigation systems where water is scarce. For example, the recommended water content for drip irrigation in coconut is 66% of the open pan evaporation.
Need the Equipment in the Coconut Cultivation
When you want to get information about farming, you should also know the tools that will help in increasing the yield. Rotavator, cultivator, tiller, and tractor are essential in every farming. However, of all the equipment, the tractor is the most important. That’s why we recommend the John Deere 5205 tractor for coconut cultivation in India.
For more information regarding the coconut farming Business in India, stay tuned with us.
