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The price of coconut and copra in Tamil Nadu is tending to move north despite the State ranking second, next to Kerala, in coconut production.
Increased demand for coconut in the State and lower arrivals of copra from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have tended to push prices upward, say traders.
A survey by the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell, Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has revealed that the nut is ruling around ₹24500 a tonne in Pollachi market.
An average sized nut is said to be hovering between ₹14 and ₹16, and this is expected to go up in the coming days.
“Production is usually low during this season. This coupled with acute shortage of copra due to poor arrivals from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states has resulted in sharp increase in price levels. Copra is ruling at ₹89–90 a kg in the State,” the TNAU source said. Coconut production in TN has halved in 2012-13 compared to the earlier year. This is basically because of drought, say trade sources. Meanwhile, farmers in an around Pollachi area (a major coconut growing belt) told this correspondent that they had felled coconut trees because of acute shortage of water and farm labour. “The price of the nut was also not remunerative, compelling us to look at other options,” said TP Karunakaran, President of Thimmanguthur panchayat.
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