Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi Drive Sharp Rise in Coconut Prices
08-Sep-2025 12:59 PM
Kochi. Due to various reasons, the supply and availability situation got complicated and demand and consumption increased, the market price of coconut jumped from Rs 15-20 to the top level of Rs 80-100 within the last two years.
Due to climate change and insect-disease attack in South India, the coconut prices have risen sharply, due to which the prices of copra and coconut oil are also witnessing a record increase.
Due to disruption in the supply chain, the sale of tender (immature) coconut decreased a lot during the Corona period of 2020-21, due to which its grains became more mature than required and hence in the season 2022-23, due to its increased supply and availability, it became more mature and hence in the season 2022-23,
due to its increased supply and availability, the prices fell sharply. Due to this, the producers suffered huge losses and they did not pay much attention to the care of coconut plantations. After the price fell in the year 2023, the producers stopped planting coconut. Traditional trees are tall and start bearing coconut fruits in 5 to 8 years, whereas hybrid coconut trees start bearing grains in three years only.
During 2024-25, 30 percent of coconut crop was destroyed in Tunkur, Mandya, Hassan, Chitradurga and Chikmagalur of Karnataka due to the outbreak of insects and diseases.
Similarly, 25 percent of the crop was damaged due to sea storms and diseases in Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu too, 40 percent of coconut plantations were damaged due to root wilt disease and white fly outbreak in Krishnagiri and Tirunelveli.
Due to the tremendous demand of Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam festival, the price of coconut, copra and oil increased wildly. New coconut goods disappeared from the markets.
Its supply was not done properly in various states. Production was also weak in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka. 75,000 coconuts were brought from Karnataka to Goa and they were all sold within a few hours.