Kokam Indigenous to the Western Ghats region of India, along the western coast. It is found in forest lands, riversides, and wasteland, and also gets cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying or fertilizers. The genus Garcinia, belonging to the family Clusiaceae, includes some 200 species found in the Old World tropics, mainly Asia and Africa. Out of the 35 species found in India, 17 are common. Of these, seven are endemic to the Western Ghats region six in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and four in the North-Eastern region of India

Indian kokam is a flexible spice. Its oils, seeds, fruits, bark and the young leaves are all of extensive culinary and remedial value. The kokam fruit is cholagogue, cooling, demulcent, emollient and antiseptic. The bark and young leaves are astringent. The oil is emollient and soothing. Among the major uses of kokam are, garnish for curries and in the preparation of cooling syrups. Good sunshine, adequate rainfall and rich soil in Konkan, Malabar and Kanara regions of Western India kokam is able to have plentiful growth. Exported mainly in the forms of fruits, oil (kokam butter) and syrup, Indian kokam is already popular in several countries like USA, The UK, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and the Middle East.