KOCHI:Following the increase in demand for coconut, copra and its value-added products from upcountry markets, the prices of coconut and its value-added products are reported to be stable in the coming months, even in the peak harvest season in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
A statement from the Coconut Development Board said that an increased price trend is expected in the coming months as the coconut available is mainly sold as raw nut for industries and also for up India market for export, domestic and other purposes. The conversion of coconut into copra stands minimum as the expected level of copra is not arriving in the market. Quality copra is expected to arrive in the market from March 2015 onwards, which will give a boost to the sector.
Even though the arrival of ball copra in the market has declined, the prices may sustain further in the coming months and even the new arrivals are expected to come from the month of May-June 2015. The market is facing shortage of milling copra as the copra (milling) stocks with Nafed are fully depleted and the coconut production estimates in the major coconut growing states for 2014-15 does not show any significant increase in comparison to last year.