VIJAYAWADA: The price of tender coconut water is likely to rise this summer, as production of coconuts have reportedly come down across the State. The other factor contributing to the likely increase of price is the rise in the cost of transportation.
Sources say, because of these two factors, the sellers in the retail market will be forced to increase the price of tender coconuts.
For the record, six districts of Andhra Pradesh produce most of the coconuts, with the Godavari districts accounting for the largest share in total production.
Apart from the transportation cost, the cost of labour - the people collecting the coconuts from the trees and loading those in the vehicles that would take those to the market place - has also increased. While the labour charge was Rs 450 per 1,000 coconuts during 2015-16, it is Rs 1000 per 1000 coconuts now.
The farmers, it is reported, now sell tender coconuts for Rs 15 each, in the wholesale market.
The price includes cost of transportation. Earlier farmers used to sell for Rs 10 per coconut. In the retail market a tender coconut costs over Rs 20. In Vijayawada, while a small tender coconut costs between Rs 20 and Rs 25, the bigger one costs anything between Rs 30 and Rs 35. One litre of coconut water costs between Rs 60 and Rs 80. The sellers say, “The prices of tender coconut and coconut water, this summer, are likely to double, as the cost of transportation and labour charges have increased in the past few months”.
N Suryanarayana, an elderly person, who has been selling tender coconuts in the city for the past 20 years said, “It is really a tough time for us now. Earlier, we used to get coconuts at almost half the price than that we are getting now. Moreover, earlier more people used to buy from us. But now things have changed, especially in the last few months. Costs have shot up.
In summer tender coconut will become dearer”. Given the trend among the people to switch to cool drinks from natural drinks such as coconut water, the experts however, have a word of advice. “Tender coconut water has lots of nutrients and vitamins, which help in providing a balanced diet to both healthy people and patients. It is easily digestible and enhances immunity levels,” said Dr Manjula, a nutritionist.
However, with prices of tender coconuts likely to double this summer, one has to wait and see what the citizens of Vijayawada do.