The increase in prices is said to be due to short supply owing to this year’s drought in traditional coconut growing areas in Karnataka and partly in Tamil Nadu. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH

Tender coconut prices shoot up in Mangaluru

Ahead of Navrathri, retail prices of coconut hovered between ₹60 and ₹65 per kg, and wholesale prices stood between ₹52 and ₹55 a kg in the city on September 28

by · The Hindu

With four days remaining for the Navrathri festival, coconut and tender coconut prices have shot up in Mangaluru.

If the retail prices of coconut hovered between ₹60 and ₹65 per kg, the wholesale prices stood between ₹52 and ₹55 a kg in the city on Saturday, September 28.

The retail prices of tender coconut varied from ₹60 to ₹65 per nut while the wholesale prices hovered between ₹52 and ₹58 a nut.

It is said to be due to short supply owing to this year’s drought in traditional coconut growing areas in Karnataka and partly in Tamil Nadu, the menace of leaf-eating caterpillars in coconut farms in those areas, and root wilt disease in coconut palms in Tamil Nadu.

S.K. Kusumadhar, president of South Canara Coconut Farmers’ Producer Company Ltd. (FPC), Puttur, said that the FPC was procuring coconut from farmers at ₹47 per k.g. “There is a shortage in the yield across Karnataka this year pushing the prices of both coconut and tender coconut up,” he said.

Mr. Kusumadhar said that the prices have shot up since past week.

He said that coconut commanded ₹22 and ₹23 a kg early this year. Prices began to increase gradually later due to short supply.

Yield in traditional coconut growing belts of Tumakuru, Tiptur, and Hassan has come down, Mr. Kusumadhar said adding that price of tender coconut in Bengaluru on Thursday, September 26, stood at ₹70 per nut.

The president said that many farmers are selling tender coconuts without waiting for them to mature to sell coconuts. It has also resulted in a shortage in the supply of matured nuts. Though consumers find it costly, increase in prices has benefitted farmers, he said.

K. Balachandra Hebbar, Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala, said that the impact of the drought-affected coconut yield in Tumakuru, Tiptur, Arasikere, Ramanagara areas in Karnataka and Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

Leaf-eating caterpillars affected the production in Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mysuru, and Mandya areas. Root wilt disease hit the production in some parts of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Hebbar said.

A trader in Mannagudda in the city said an increase in demand for coconut for the Navrathri festival has also pushed up the prices.

Published - September 28, 2024 08:52 pm IST