KOCHI: The Mandalam season which commences on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam, usually sees a steep rise in the sale of coconut and allied products. And the major reason for the increased demand is that coconut is an essential pooja item that fills the `Irumudi’, which Sabarimala pilgrims carry.
Considering the surge in demand, the coconut traders usually procure more coconuts ahead of the season. But the demonetisation of high denomination notes has put them in a spot, forcing them to stay away from procuring coconuts which is likely to result in the shortage of coconuts as well as a surge in the market prices.
In the wholesale market, the price of coconut oil, on Wednesday stood at `9,800 per quintal. Meanwhile, in the retail market, the price of coconut (big) was `16, medium-sized `13 and small one `9.
“Usually Vrishchikam witnesses the brisk sale of coconut. The coconut market of Kerala mainly depends on two seasons-- Onam and Mandalam festival. The period between June and November is considered as off season. But the Onam season which falls in between enables the farmers to sustain themselves. It is the Mandalam season, which gets under way by November 15, that usually gives them the real relief as the sales will be usually high,” according to Vinod Kumar P, CEO of Palakkad Coconut Producers Company Limited.
The essential pooja items needed for Irumudi include a coconut filled with ghee and two coconuts.
“But this time round, we expect the currency shortage to continue for a few more months and most of the traders will not be able to buy or stock enough coconuts as in majority of the cases, they used to buy coconuts from farmers by paying them hard currency,” he added.
According to M S Augusty, president, Kerala Suraksha Nalikera Ulpadaka Sangham, “The situation of the coconut farmers is not at all satisfactory. The demonetisation was a double whammy. Productivity is already quite low and earlier, if we were able to sell 1,000 coconuts during the season, now it has come down to 200.
Usually, we are paid once every three months for the purchase by the production companies. But now their sales have been hit and hence they are not in a position to pay the price on par with that of the previous procurement.”