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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Coconut prices triple within a year in Kerala, disrupting temple rituals
Temple rituals across Kerala are taking a hit as coconut prices skyrocket, forcing both devotees and temple managements to cut back. At Thiruvananthapuram's Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple, where thousands of coconuts are usually offered daily, officials say offerings have dropped by nearly 30 per cent, according to a report by The Hindu Businessline. The price of coconuts has jumped to around ₹75 per kg from ₹28 per kg last year. Devotees who used to offer dozens or even hundreds of coconuts as part of their vows are backing out. While people still offer one coconut, but bigger rituals are being postponed. Temples are also struggling. Coconut oil, used for lighting lamps, has become too expensive. Vendors are refusing to supply it at the earlier contract price of ₹340 per litre. Pazhavangadi Temple has temporarily agreed to pay ₹400 to keep lamps burning. The issue is expected to worsen with the Karkidaka Pooja at Sabarimala starting July 17. Pilgrims typically carry multiple coconuts, some filled with ghee, for offerings at the shrine. But suppliers say they can't meet demand at current prices. India one of the world's largest coconut producers India is one of the world's largest producers of coconuts, contributing approximately 31.45 per cent of global production in 2021-22, with a total output of 19,247 million nuts, according to the India Trade Portal. The sector significantly supports the Indian economy, contributing around ₹30,749.8 crore to the GDP and employing over 12 million people. Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh account for more than 90 per cent of the national production. India's export of coconut also grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 per cent between 2015-16 and 2021-22, with Vietnam, UAE, and Bangladesh among the top importers. Farm neglect, climate change impact coconut supply However, this problem didn't start overnight. According to an earlier report by The Hindu, when the pandemic disrupted transport, farmers switched to making copra (dried coconut) for oil, hoping for better returns. Instead, prices crashed in 2022 and stayed low till mid-2024, leading to neglect in coconut farming. Many stopped using fertilisers or maintaining trees. Climate change made things worse. Hotter weather, erratic rain, and poor farm care all played a part in the drop in production. 'Consequently, the production dropped not just in India but across all major coconut-producing countries in the equatorial region such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka,' a senior official from the Coconut Development Board (CDB) told The Hindu. Adding to the mess is the spike in demand for tender coconuts—driven by post-Covid health trends—meant farmers harvested early. Mature coconuts are now in short supply. At the same time, the growth of industries producing coconut milk, oil, and powder, especially for export under Free Trade Agreements, has increased demand further.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Rise in coconut prices a continuation of a global phenomenon dating back to 2020
The steep rise in the price of coconut is not a sudden phenomenon but a continuation of what the sector has been experiencing since 2020 with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, said a senior official with the Coconut Development Board (CDB). In the wake of the disruption in coconut market, as transportation and logistics got hit during the pandemic, almost everyone turned coconut into copra (dried flesh of the coconut) to extract oil. This did not help and a crash in coconut price ensued in March 2022, a trend which lasted till August 2024. 'Consequently, the production dropped not just in India but across all major coconut producing countries in the equatorial region such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Climate change, drought, and drastic difference in temperature also contributed to the drop in production,' said the official on condition of anonymity. With the drop in prices, negligence crept into the upkeep and maintenance of coconut farming. Measures like applying fertilizers faltered, and this proved an additional blow. Demand for tender coconuts As people turned increasingly health conscious post pandemic, there was a soaring demand for tender coconut from north India. This led to the despatch of truck loads of tender coconuts from coconut producing centres in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to north India. Production further dropped, as farmers were not waiting till coconuts were ripe for harvesting, as tender coconuts were fetching them great prices, thus impacting the availability of coconuts. The proliferation of industrial units dealing in desiccated coconut powder, coconut milk, virgin coconut oil etc and their corresponding increase in exports during the previous fiscal further contributed to the price rise. 'The trend of rising price was noticed since last September. From what can be gauged from the market, coconut availability is returning to normal in places like Tamil Nadu. We expect the prices to stabilise in another two to three months,' said the official. Ironically, now with the price still on the rise, the farmers are left with far fewer coconuts to cash in though.
New Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Coconut Development Board in Kerala charts new course to boost production
KOCHI: With Kerala reporting a steep decline in coconut production, the Coconut Development Board (CDB) has formulated a slew of schemes to enhance productivity. The downturn has sent coconut prices soaring in the state. The schemes include subsidy for coconut nurseries and nucleus coconut seed gardens, a cluster-based productivity enhancement scheme, and assistance for expansion of area under cultivation. Besides, coconut climbers' task forces will be formed under a new scheme titled Cocomitra, where a group of 10 persons can form a legal entity — like a cooperative society — to avail a financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for equipment and mobility support. 'Though we spend Rs 20 crore a year for productivity enhancement in Kerala, there has been a decline in coconut production,' CDB chief coconut development officer B Hanumanthe Gowda told TNIE. 'Around 38% of the farms in the state are old and senile. The productivity has been affected due to pests and diseases. So we have decided to increase the area under cultivation and productivity.' Coconut nursery Under the scheme to ensure the availability of quality seedlings, CDB will provide financial assistance of Rs 90 per seedling for public sector initiatives and half of that for the private sector, with a maximum production capacity of 25,000 seedlings in acre. The minimum production capacity should be 6,250 seedlings per year on 25 cents of land. In non-traditional areas, the minimum production can be 3,125 seedlings. The nursery with a capacity of more than 20,000 quality seedlings will be provided accreditation under the CDB scheme 'Accreditation and Rating of Coconut Nursery'. Nucleus seed garden A financial assistance of Rs 3.60 lakh per hectare will be provided to coconut cultivators to establish nucleus coconut seed gardens. The minimum area required for a seed garden is two hectares, with the maximum assistance extended up to an area of four hectares. Productivity improvement Another scheme is to improve the productivity of coconut holdings through an integrated approach. The subsidy amount will be Rs 42,000 per hectare, limited to a maximum of two hectares per beneficiary in two equal annual instalments.
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Coconut growers in Kerala in despair as output slumps
KOCHI: It seems the coconut farming sector in South India has been hit by what can be termed as a paradox of prosperity. While the price of coconut has skyrocketed, a shroud of melancholy has enveloped the sector in Kerala -- with farmers in distress over a steep decline in production. The price of coconut has touched Rs 80 per kg in the local market while coconut oil is selling for over Rs 400 a litre. Mill owners and manufacturers are in crisis due to scarcity of nuts and exporters have taken huge losses, unable to balance purchase and market prices. 'We procure coconut from both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. There has been a steep decline in productivity, which has triggered scarcity in the market. Our export volumes have taken a beating and we have rescheduled work shifts at the factory due to non availability of coconut. We are unable to increase the price in the export market as that will affect our pricing advantage,' said the owner of a leading export firm. According to experts, multiple factors have contributed to the crisis. Small and marginal farmers have stopped manuring, harvesting and cleaning the crown of coconut trees in recent years due to low procurement rates and high fertiliser prices. Moreover, coconut climbers charge Rs 70-100 per tree, which growers say is proving unaffordable. 'There has been a decline in productivity due to climate change, relative humidity and scant rainfall. Despite productivity enhancement programmes, the area under cultivation is declining in Kerala. The Coconut Development Board (CDB) spends Rs 20 crore a year in Kerala on productivity enhancement initiatives. Around 38% of coconut farms in Kerala are old and senile and farmers complain of pests and diseases. Though we have trained 33,000 people in Kerala over the past decade, there is shortage of climbers in the state,' said CDB chief coconut development officer B Hanumanthe Gowda. 'Productivity has declined from 50 nuts to 10-15 nuts per tree in recent years. Coconut tree climbers charge Rs 70-100 per tree, which is costly. Nowadays farmers employ workers from Tamil Nadu who use harvesting poles,' said Pandiyode Prabhakaran, a farmer in Palakkad.
