What's happened to Coconuts... so so tiny!
Discussion
As above they used to be large approx. 6-7" in diameter or large grapefruit sized, their same size in all Supermarkets.
Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
May well be my imagination. I always thought they were bigger, the target at the coconut shy at the fairground seemed larger. I tried to google the size but there is little information even on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut
Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Edited by souper on Tuesday 16th July 16:52
The always entertaining/enlightening Journal of Natural Fibres has published some research on the size of Indian coconuts which makes for some insightful reading, apologies if this was already in your library.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309596220...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309596220...
souper said:
As above they used to be large approx. 6-7" in diameter or large grapefruit sized, their same size in all Supermarkets.
Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
It's as a result of pressure from groups and agencies such as the UN Environment Program, Greenpeace and the WWF on the major coconut producers - Indonesia, the Philippines and India - to try and reduce the devastating effect that decades of hybridisation and size enhancement by coconut growers has had on the migratory bird population in the southern hemisphere, in particular the Pacific Swallow (as opposed to the African Swallow, which is non-migratory). Historically the Pacific Swallow would carry coconuts - which in their uncultivated state are little larger than conkers - as food stores on their long migration flights, as well as being able to use the husk as nesting material. The massive increase in size of cultivated coconuts has had an appalling effect on these bird populations. It's a simple matter of weight ratios - a 5oz bird cannot carry a 1lb coconut. in the wild it has even been observed that groups of starving Pacific Swallows will try and lift a coconut working as a team, efforts which are all too often heartbreakingly futile. Hopefully this pressure on the industry - colloquially known as "Big Coconut" - to reverse the trend in the size of the product may yet save the Pacific Swallow from extinction. Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
souper said:
May well be my imagination. I always thought they were bigger, the target at the coconut shy at the fairground seemed larger. I tried to google the size but there is little information even on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut.
Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Arfby in Asia here (Singapore) we would most likely find them still "Skin on". I think if cut back to the brown nut that the UK sees, the diameter would be about 6 inches (150mm). This is what we get:Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
souper said:
May well be my imagination. I always thought they were bigger, the target at the coconut shy at the fairground seemed larger. I tried to google the size but there is little information even on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut.
Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Hahaha...Mrs PA said they're probably made in China!! Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
You can get them the size of a small orange, but they would not be put on sale and are normally the the diameter of a rugby ball here.
eharding said:
souper said:
As above they used to be large approx. 6-7" in diameter or large grapefruit sized, their same size in all Supermarkets.
Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
It's as a result of pressure from groups and agencies such as the UN Environment Program, Greenpeace and the WWF on the major coconut producers - Indonesia, the Philippines and India - to try and reduce the devastating effect that decades of hybridisation and size enhancement by coconut growers has had on the migratory bird population in the southern hemisphere, in particular the Pacific Swallow (as opposed to the African Swallow, which is non-migratory). Historically the Pacific Swallow would carry coconuts - which in their uncultivated state are little larger than conkers - as food stores on their long migration flights, as well as being able to use the husk as nesting material. The massive increase in size of cultivated coconuts has had an appalling effect on these bird populations. It's a simple matter of weight ratios - a 5oz bird cannot carry a 1lb coconut. in the wild it has even been observed that groups of starving Pacific Swallows will try and lift a coconut working as a team, efforts which are all too often heartbreakingly futile. Hopefully this pressure on the industry - colloquially known as "Big Coconut" - to reverse the trend in the size of the product may yet save the Pacific Swallow from extinction. Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
ARFBY said:
souper said:
May well be my imagination. I always thought they were bigger, the target at the coconut shy at the fairground seemed larger. I tried to google the size but there is little information even on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut.
Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Arfby in Asia here (Singapore) we would most likely find them still "Skin on". I think if cut back to the brown nut that the UK sees, the diameter would be about 6 inches (150mm). This is what we get:Phil in Asia, what diameter would the standard everyday brown coconut be that we would get in the UK?
Edited by PhilAsia on Tuesday 16th July 14:54
PhilAsia said:
....Same with banana varieties...incredible choice..., but I am in Asia.
Whereas in Europe 99% of bananas are all one variety, Cavendish, due to disease in the 1950s.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavendish_banana
Reading the Wiki was a bit off putting the white stuff. "The endocarp is initially filled with a multinucleate liquid endosperm (the coconut water). As development continues, cellular layers of endosperm deposit along the walls of the endocarp up to 11 mm (3?8 in) thick, starting at the distal end. They eventually form the edible solid endosperm (the "coconut meat" or "coconut flesh") which hardens over time."
Now I know what African & Pacific Swallows swallow...
Now I know what African & Pacific Swallows swallow...
Edited by souper on Tuesday 16th July 17:13
eharding said:
souper said:
As above they used to be large approx. 6-7" in diameter or large grapefruit sized, their same size in all Supermarkets.
Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
It's as a result of pressure from groups and agencies such as the UN Environment Program, Greenpeace and the WWF on the major coconut producers - Indonesia, the Philippines and India - to try and reduce the devastating effect that decades of hybridisation and size enhancement by coconut growers has had on the migratory bird population in the southern hemisphere, in particular the Pacific Swallow (as opposed to the African Swallow, which is non-migratory). Historically the Pacific Swallow would carry coconuts - which in their uncultivated state are little larger than conkers - as food stores on their long migration flights, as well as being able to use the husk as nesting material. The massive increase in size of cultivated coconuts has had an appalling effect on these bird populations. It's a simple matter of weight ratios - a 5oz bird cannot carry a 1lb coconut. in the wild it has even been observed that groups of starving Pacific Swallows will try and lift a coconut working as a team, efforts which are all too often heartbreakingly futile. Hopefully this pressure on the industry - colloquially known as "Big Coconut" - to reverse the trend in the size of the product may yet save the Pacific Swallow from extinction. Now, there around 3-4" diameter around the size of a large orange, worst still they taste bland not that sweet and the milk also reduced and generally not that nice. I guess they're grown that way to get more in a box for export and quicker to grow, but they are rubbish nowadays.
Zaichik said:
The always entertaining/enlightening Journal of Natural Fibres has published some research on the size of Indian coconuts which makes for some insightful reading, apologies if this was already in your library.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309596220...
Lol, definitely not on my reading list ever, I had a quick glance and Indian Dry Coconuts average at 179mm diameter and 247mm in length, therefore our coconuts have been shrinking & my eyes aren't deceiving me.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309596220...
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff