The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has called upon coconut farmers not to feel apprehensive about the recent fall in the price of raw coconut and value-added products. In a statement, the CDB authorities said that the price fall was only temporary.
The CDB has dispelled rumours that an increase in production of coconuts in Tamil Nadu is the reason for the price fall of coconuts in Kerala. Terming the rumours baseless, the statement said that the production in the country’s main coconut producing States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh has decreased when compared to the previous year.
Not to sell
The statement asked coconut farmers not to sell their produce at throw-away price fearing further price fall.
“Coconut farmers’ organisations should concentrate on procurement of produce and primary processing to tap the opportunities of the coming festival season.”
The price of raw coconuts fell from Rs.36 a kg last month to Rs.27 and the price of coconut oil from Rs.165 a kg to Rs.120.
The CDB statement attributes the price fall to the “sluggish movement of the goods as a result of the start of monsoon season and also the end of the main harvesting season in Kerala.”
11 p.c. growth
When compared to May 2015, the export of coconut and coconut value-added products registered 11 per cent growth in June 2015. Apart from this, the import of copra and coconut oil to India was comparatively very low. It is expected that the market will overcome this temporary price fall and the prices will be stable by the arrival of the festival season, the statement added.
The price of raw coconuts fell from Rs.36 a kg last month to Rs.27 and the price of coconut oil from Rs.165 a kg to Rs.120.
