Assessment of the availability of Coconut wood (Cocos nucifera) for boat building in the south west cost India

Abstract

In the artisanal fisheries sector of India, fishers have been using wood of several species like wild jack poon and mango for canoe construction. The over exploitation and increasing demand of these conventional wood species has led to their depletion and search for alternative timber. Easily available low value plantation timbers have been an option in recent years. Coconut wood is one among them as it is available in the coastal areas of the country. The suitability of using coconut wood as aboat building material has been proven with respect to mechanical properties, workability and durability. It is also cheaper compared to conventional timbers. The present study attempts to assess the potential availability of coconut palms in the coastal districts of south west coast of India. Data was collected through multistage sample surveys of farm households. The focus was on senile palms over 60 years old that can be potentially culled for alternative uses including canoe construction.The study revealed that Kerala had more number of senile coconut palms followed by Karnataka and Goa. The estimated quantity of usable wood from 123.86 lakh palm is 37.16 lakh cubic meters.