Mysuru: The price of coconuts in Mysuru has surged sharply, making them significantly costlier than in previous years. However, traders and officials anticipate a correction in prices within the next 15 days.
Mysuru’s daily requirement stands at around 80 to 100 tonnes of coconuts — roughly two lakh coconuts. Of this, approximately 50 tonnes are sourced from neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu, including Coimbatore and Salem, while the remainder is procured locally.
At present, coconuts are being sold at Rs. 80 per kg in the open market, while those imported from Tamil Nadu are priced at Rs. 70 per kg. Just a few weeks ago, coconuts in Mysuru were available for Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 per kg; the current rate of Rs. 40 per kg marks a steep rise.
Experts attribute this price hike primarily to the increased consumption of tender coconuts due to the intense summer heat. With temperatures soaring, residents are turning to tender coconuts — sold between Rs. 40 and Rs. 60 each — for natural hydration.
To meet this rising demand, farmers are harvesting coconuts earlier than usual, reducing the number of mature coconuts reaching the market.
Adding to the supply crunch, large quantities of tender coconuts are being exported to cities like Mumbai, where they fetch as much as Rs. 150 a piece. In Karnataka, tender coconuts are typically harvested three to four times over three months, while Tamil Nadu sees four harvests in the same period. On average, every 50 coconut trees yield about 2,000 coconuts in the first season, followed by 1,500 in the second, 1,000 in the third and just 200-300 in the fourth.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, local coconut merchant Madhukar explained, “This is the first harvest season and most of the produce is reaching local markets. We expect prices to drop back to around Rs. 15 per kg soon, leading to a general reduction in market prices.”
Rates at HOPCOMS affordable
Manjunath Angadi, Deputy Director of the Department of Horticulture, clarified that the spike in prices is not due to any disease affecting coconut trees.
“There has been no drop in supply due to disease. While tree infections do occur, we have been actively guiding farmers on prevention. The reduced availability of mature coconuts is solely due to increased demand for tender ones, which are more profitable for farmers,” he said.
He added that the Horticulture Department is mitigating the price impact by selling coconuts at more affordable rates through HOPCOMS outlets compared to open markets.
This post was published on May 12, 2025 6:40 pm