Coconut farmers in Konaseema are a happy lot, despite production being on the lower side, as they have fetched good profit when compared to the previous year. Coconut prices in the domestic and export markets have gone up, taking the overall profit from Rs. 2,500 to Rs.10,000 per acre.
The farmers are getting remunerating prices as export of the nut has just begun.
Last year, the market price of 1,000 coconuts hovered in the range of Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000 and this year the same has touched Rs. 12,000, says Donga Nageswara Rao, a farmer from Konaseema.
The rise of temperature coupled with the impact of Hudhud cyclone led to the steep decline in production inn the region. “We could harvest only 200 to 400 nuts per acre this year when compared to the 3,000 last year,” he says. K. Satyanrayana, another farmer from Ambajipeta, says that the major problem now is the labour cost which has gone up significantly. Coconut is cultivated in 1.05 lakh hectares in AP of which 90 per cent are in Konaseema.
Price of 1,000 coconuts, that hovered in the range of Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000 last year, has gone up to Rs. 12,000
