ERODE/TIRUPPUR: The copra procurement price in Erode markets is on an upswing, touching a record Rs 188 per kilogram. The price has increased significantly and gone past the previous highest level of Rs 147 reached in 2018.
Officials attributed the price surge to the decline in arrival of copra due to the impact of whitefly on coconut plantations in western Tamil Nadu and wilt disease in Kerala. In Erode, copra auctions are being held in 20 regulated markets under the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business. On Friday, copra price rose to Rs 188 per kg at the Gobichettipalayam regulated market. Farmers said they have never seen such a spike in copra procurement prices before.
A senior official of the Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business Department of Erode said, "Coconut cultivation was affected by severe drought in 2018. At that time, the arrival of copra decreased, and the price went up. Similarly, the price is increasing this year. Coconut is widely cultivated in the Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts but the crop has been affected there due to attacks by whitefly. Also, wilt disease has affected cultivation in Kerala."
"Whitefly infestation is widespread in the Erode district. But in Kerala wilting has been widespread in areas close to the Tamil Nadu border. The copra yield and arrival in the markets have decreased due to diseases of coconut palms but the demand has not decreased. This is the reason copra prices continue to rise. The increase in procurement price is beneficial for farmers. The government departments are actively working to control diseases and restore coconut cultivation," the official added.
S Paramasivam, Tiruppur District President of Tamil Nadu Coconut Farmers Association, said, "Even though the procurement price of copra has increased, farmers are not benefiting from this. Because the yield has completely decreased due to crop diseases. Before the disease, a coconut tree yielded 150 to 170 coconuts. At present, the yield is only 30 coconuts per tree. A certain percentage of trees do not bear fruit due to diseases."
"The central and state governments should take serious measures to control the diseases. Merely giving advice to farmers is not helpful as most people engaged in coconut cultivation are small and micro-farmers. The government should help them."
On Friday, the procurement price of copra in Tiruppur markets was Rs 178 per kg.