Coconut price hike in the country: What is the reason?
The country’s people are facing a huge problem as the retail price of a coconut has increased from Rs. 160 to Rs. 200 by the end of 2024.
It is being said that due to the increase in the price coconut production has decreased in the last twenty reproduction has reduced in the last 20coconuts
These details were given by Aruna Kumara, Senior Professor, Department of Crop Science, University of Ruhuna.
As he said, in 2000, coconut production was 3,000 million coconuts, when the country’s population was 18 million. However, even though the country’s population increased to 23 million in 2024, coconut production has not increased in line with it.
The professor said that the main reason for the current coconut shortage is the lack of coconut production to meet the demand.
In this situation, the Coconut Cultivation Board has implemented a plan to plant 3 million coconut saplings this year, which is considered a long-term solution.
Coconut prices have increased significantly in the last few years. In 2020, the price of a coconut was from Rs. 60 to Rs. 70. In 2022, the price of a coconut started at Rs. 100. In 2023, the price was from Rs. 80 to Rs. 120.
By the end of 2024, the retail price of a coconut had increased from Rs. 160 to Rs. 200. At the same time, coconut production in 2024 decreased by about 700 million coconuts.
In the last four years, coconut production has declined year by year. 2792 million coconuts were produced in 2020, 3120 million coconuts in 2021, 3391 million coconuts in 2022, and 2682 million coconuts in 2023.
There are several factors for the decline in coconut yields, including reduced fertilizer use, damage by wild animals, weather changes, and the recent sale of coconut lands to other projects.
