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Product:Cocos nucifera Family: Arecacea/Palmae Coconut is a majestic perennial palm grown extensively in numerous islands and also in the humid coastal tracts of tropical countries. The coconut palm, rightly known as the Kalpa vriksha or the `tree of heaven’ provides many necessities of life, including food and shelter. Of all the tropical palms providing numerous useful products, it is perhaps the outstanding one. It is mainly cultivated for the nuts from which two important commercial products, copra and fiber, are obtained. Copra yields oil and oil cake. The trunk of the mature palm is used as timber for constructing houses and the plaited leaves are used for thatching houses, fencing, etc. The unopened spathe is tapped for toddy. Fresh toddy called ‘neera’ is a tonic. Whereas sweet toddy can be converted into jaggery and sugar, fermented toddy is a mild alcoholic drink, and vinegar can also be prepared from it. Water from tender coconut is a refreshing and delicious drink. In Kerala, the extraction of coir from the husk of nuts and the manufacture of coir products provides employment for thousands of people, particularly in the backwater tracts where facilities for retting husks are available. The coir is then dried in the sun and spun into coir yarn by hand or with a machine. Coir yarn is used as such or made into ropes, mats, nets, bags, etc. The coconut shell is largely used as a fuel and for the production of charcoal and making a variety of curios. The shell-flour is used as filler in plastics. Thus every part of the palm is useful in one way or another. The Wet meat or Kernel The Kernel or endosperm of the matured coconut is an important food in all the coconut growing countries. Apart from being used for culinary purposes, the milk or cream obtained by squeezing the grated kernel goes into preparations of commercial importance