Going Coco With Coconuts

I was doing some research the other day and discovered to my amazement that there is actually a World Coconut Day celebrated on September 2, every year!

- VINITA SIDHARTHA [e-mail]

I was doing some research the other day and discovered to my amazement that there is actually a World Coconut Day celebrated on September 2, every year! It was established in 2009 by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC), now known as the International Coconut Community (ICC). The day was meant to honour this "tree of life" and recognise that coconuts play a vital role not only as a food source but also as a means of livelihood for millions of farmers, especially in Asia and the Pacific.

The coconut tree, in all probability, was first cultivated by people of India or Southeast Asia. From here, it was introduced to other tropical countries all over the world. The tree is believed to be of great value everywhere in the tropics because it provides all the essential elements needed to sustain life. Besides food and drink, it offers possibilities of housing, thatching, clothing, containers, oil, brooms, ornaments, and furniture, to name just a few. The botanical name for the coconut is