Area under coconut cultivation in Gujarat sees 27% rise in 10 years

 Compared to other states, Gujarat stands in the ninth position, with Kerala (765,000 hectares), Karnataka (564,000 hectares) and Tamil Nadu (492,000 hectares) dominating coconut production in the country.
| Photo Credit:
MUSTAFAH KK

The area under coconut cultivation has seen a 27 per cent jump during the last 10 years in Gujarat where the production is concentrated largely in seven coastal districts of the State. 

Compared to the 21,633 hectares of area under coconut cultivation in 2013-14, a total of 4900 hectares have been added in the last decade. The area under cultivation stands at 26,561 hectares in 2023-24. Currently, Gujarat’s annual production of green coconuts (tender coconuts) exceeds 23.60 crore units, states the data shared by the State government earlier this month.

Figures from the Coconut Development Board under the Union ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare show that Gujarat is yet to catch up to the 27,400 hectares of area that was under coconut cultivation during 2019-20. Compared to other states, Gujarat stands in the ninth position, with Kerala (765,000 hectares), Karnataka (564,000 hectares) and Tamil Nadu (492,000 hectares) dominating coconut production in the country.

In Gujarat, 20 percent of the total coconuts produced are harvested as tender coconuts, while 42 percent are harvested as mature coconuts. Additionally, five percent of the harvested coconuts are kept by farmers for personal use or as seeds. About 33 percent of Gujarat’s coconuts are exported to states such as Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, the state government stated. While coconuts are available throughout the year, demand peaks during the summer, particularly from March to June.

Presently, coconut production in Gujarat is primarily concentrated in the districts of Gir-Somnath, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Valsad, Kutch, Navsari, and Devbhumi Dwarka. To boost coconut production in other coastal districts, the government is providing substantial encouragement and support. Currently, 45.61 lakh hectares of land in Gujarat’s coastal districts are cultivable. Given this, the area under coconut cultivation in these districts could potentially increase three-fold from the current 26,000 hectares to 70,000–80,000 hectares.

For the current year, the State government has allocated a substantial amount of ₹438 lakh for this programme. Under this programme, farmers are assisted up to 75 per cent of the expenditure incurred for coconut cultivation, with a maximum limit of ₹37,500 per hectare. Additionally, farmers receive assistance of up to 50 per cent of the costs, with a maximum limit of ₹5,000 per hectare, for integrated nutrient management and pest control in coconut farming. This financial aid is directly transferred to the farmers’ bank accounts, with a limit of 4 hectares per farmer or account. Furthermore, under the State scheme, farmers are also provided with up to 90 per cent of the expenses for coconut planting materials, with a maximum limit of ₹13,000 per hectare.

Published on October 6, 2025