Vijayapura: Along with soaring mercury levels and fuel prices, the price of tender coconut has also increased this summer in the district.
The price of tender coconut has gone up from Rs 30 to Rs 35, the highest price ever, within a week. In the last two years the price has been increased by Rs 10 owing to hike in fuel price and transportation charges.
Hanumanthappa A, a tender coconut vendor, said that, “The coconut is largely produced and supplied from the districts of South Karnataka. Because of the following factors the price of tender coconut has been hiked, one is the production has gone down owing to climatic conditions in the last couple of years, second is hike in fuel price and third is rise in the cost of transportation.”
Apart from these factors, the cost of labour – the workers collecting the coconuts from the trees and loading those in the vehicles that would take those to the market place has also increased. However, the main reason is the increase in fuel price and labour wages, detailed Hanumanthappa.
There are over 30 tender coconut shops in the city and the price has been increased in all the shops. The tender coconuts are being supplied from Tumakuru and Mandya districts here.
Mohammed Ali, a tender coconut vendor pointed that, “We are forced to increase the price as the rate of tender coconut has been increased in the wholesale market. Earlier for a sum of Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,5000 used to charge for 100 coconuts, now, it has been increased by Rs 300 to Rs 500. With no option left we have increased the price.”
“If the fuel price fails to reduce in the next couple of months the price of tender coconut might rise again in the mid-summer. Even though price has increased the flow of customers has remained the same as temperature is over 30 degree Celsius. The business might be affected during the rainy and winter season,” said vendor Ali, who is into business for the past one decade in the city.
Cursing the central government, Prateek Hundekar, a businessman and a resident of the city, said that, “The cost of living is increasing each passing year. The government has to bring the fuel price under Goods and Services Tax (GST) because the increase of fuel price will also lead to increase in various prices. In the last two years the tender coconut price has been increased by Rs 10.”
“The people dwelling in cities like Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Bagalkot switch to natural drinks such as coconut water in summer as it has lots of nutrients and vitamins, which help in providing a balanced diet to both healthy people and patients. The tender coconut will become dearer to people in summer. There is no other natural drink like tender coconut, so, with no option left we have to buy it irrespective of surge in cost,” said Hundekar.
