Profile, technology adoption and constraints of coconut enterprises in Kasaragod district, Kerala

Abstract

Kerala remains India’s leading coconut-producing state, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of the country’s coconut-growing area and 28 per cent of total production. It also records the highest demand and consumption of coconut. The crop’s adaptability to intercropping makes it an important source of livelihood for small and marginal farmers. Despite interventions such as the Coconut Development Board’s Technology Mission on Coconut (TMOC), which has promoted 235 coconut enterprises, the sector continues to face shrinking cultivated area, price fluctuations, and declining productivity. Evaluating the enterprise-level outcomes of TMOC is therefore crucial for strengthening the coconut value chain and bridging the extension–market gap. Against this backdrop, the present study examined the profile, product portfolio, technological capability, financial support, and operational constraints of 31 TMOC-supported coconut enterprises in Kasaragod district, Kerala. The enterprises were predominantly young (0-5 years old), micro-scale, sole proprietorships, and male-owned. Only 6.5 per cent had received institutional technological support, whereas 58 per cent had accessed financial assistance, primarily through nationalized and cooperative banks and the Mudra loan scheme. Coconut oil and copra remained the principal products, with only limited diversification into value-added products such as virgin coconut oil and coconut paste. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance revealed strong agreement among enterprises regarding the severity of procurement and processing (W=0.65) and marketing (W=0.63) constraints, indicating a common and interconnected set of challenges across the sector. The findings underscore the need to strengthen targeted credit access, technology dissemination, and gender-inclusive entrepreneurial support to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of coconut enterprises in the district.