Price of coconut and byproducts shoot up in Pollachi

The farmers say that coconut yield has reduced drastically this year as whitefly attack and poor rainfall last year had hit the crop.
| Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M

High demand for coconut from the farms in Pollachi and nearby areas in Coimbatore district in the recent months has led to a spike in prices not only for coconut but also for its byproducts.

According to Amirtharaj, a farmer in Kinathukadavu, and P. Kandasamy, who heads a non-partisan farmers’ association in Coimbatore, price of coconuts at the farmgate on Tuesday (June 17) was ₹32-₹35 a nut, depending on the size. It was at least ₹5 less six months ago. However, coconuts are not available with the farmers now, they said.

The farmers said the yield reduced drastically this year as whitefly attack and poor rainfall last year had hit the crop. “If a farm produced 10,000 nuts, it had only 1,000 coconuts this year,” said Mr. Kandasamy. “Yield has dropped more than 50 %,” said S. Mahesh Kumar, president of the Indian Coir Pith Association.

Further, demand for coir and coconut byproducts has also shot up. The market for coir pith has increased in the global market and the price of one kg pith is ₹40 now compared with ₹ 15 a few months ago. “It is the highest in the last three decades,” said Mr. Mahesh Kumar.

The price of coconut husk is ₹3.50 as against 50 paise about six months ago. In the international market too the price of coir pith has doubled since December 2024, he added.