Preface and Presidential Address

The coconut palm known as Kalpa Vriksha or tree of heaven is of great antiquity in India. Every part of the tree is useful to man and it provides livelihood for mi1lions of people in the country. India is the third largest coconut producing country in the world contributing 18 per cent of the global nul production. The annual production is 6404 mimon nuts from an area of 1.23 million hectares and about half of the total production is from the state of Keral