Bengaluru: Tender coconut prices punch hole in pocket

Bengaluru: For Bengaluru residents, their favourite thirst quencher – tender coconut, has become dearer, thanks to the recent Cauvery agitation and drought-like situation in Mandya, Maddur, Malavalli and other taluks of the Cauvery belt. For the last few days, the city has been facing an acute shortage of tender coconuts, leading to steep increase in prices.

According to the tender coconut sellers, from the first week of September, the supply of has come down drastically due to the Cauvery agitation as well as the drought. “Till September, the city was receiving anywhere between 90 to 100 truck loads of tender coconuts from South Karnataka region, especially from Mandya, Maddur, Malavalli, Arasikere, Tumakuru and other areas. But now this has come down by half,” said Kamlesh, a seller from Malleswaram.

“Earlier we used to get a tender coconut for Rs 15 from coconut growers. But due to the shortage in the yield, growers are now demanding Rs 20 to Rs 25. As a result we have increased the prices to Rs 30 per coconut. If this situation continues, the price may go up to Rs 40 in the next one month,” he said.” We used to get a supply of coconuts  even from parts of Tamil Nadu. But that has totally stopped now,” he explained.

Lower yield
According to the growers, drought in the south Karnataka region has affected the coconut growers severely. “Generally the tender coconut rate jumps to Rs 30 to Rs 35 in the summer. It goes to below Rs 25 in the rainy and winter season. But this year in the rainy season itself, prices crossed the Rs 30 mark.”

“In upmarket areas each coconut is now being sold for Rs 35,” said Bapu Gowda, a transporter from Magadi. As expected, it is the consumers who are paying the price.

“Everyone prefers Tender Coconut over soft drinks, keeping in mind the health benefits. “

“But if prices cross Rs 35 per nut, naturally people will prefer soft drinks. There is a need to find a solution,” says Gayathri Bhat, a resident of Malleswaram.