The coconut tree is a member of the palm tree family and the only living species of the genus Cocos. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut. The term is derived from the 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish word coco meaning "head" or "skull" after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features.
The coconut tree starts to bear fruit within six to 10 years of seed germination. The full production age is achieved at 15 to 20 years. A healthy coconut tree continues to produce a full harvest until the age of 80 years, with a count of 50 to 200 fruits per tree over the course of a lifetime.
The coconut palm excels in the tropics, notably the Philippines and Indonesia closely followed by India and Brazil which combined, account for approximately 80% of the world’s coconut production. Coconut is grown in over more than 80 countries worldwide, but the truth is the majority of the worlds.
Coconut plays a major role in the economy of India. Apart from the importance of copra and coconut oil which is widely used in the manufacture of soaps, hair oil, cosmetics and other industrial products, its husk is a source of fibre which supports a sizable coir industry. The tender nut supplies coconut water, a popular thirst quencher of health and hygienic value which is a multi crore business all over India. Virgin coconut oil (VCO), extracted from fresh coconut kernel without any chemical processes is abundant in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, thus making it the ‘mother of all oils.