Coconut price surge: Amritsar consumers crib as vendors cite high tansport rate, intensive labour
The price of coconut has increased from Rs 50 to Rs 55 in the wholesale market, says a vendor
Even as the rise in the price of coconut from Rs 70 to Rs 80 in the past week evoked sharp reaction from consumers, wholesalers and vendors have justified it, citing intensive labour in the profession and high freight charges.
The price of a coconut has increased from Rs 50 to Rs 55 in the wholesale Vallah market, causing the hike to Rs 80 in the retail market.
A vendor, Manjhi Ram, says they fetch fresh coconuts from the wholesale market daily for roadside sales. He adds that they have to keep standing under the scorching sun all day long, waiting for customers. He says cutting every piece involves precision, hard work and a risk of injuring oneself.
Kanwaljeet Singh Pahwa, a wholesale fruit dealer, says coconuts are being transported mainly from Karnataka. “One coconut normally weighs over 1 kg. The water content is high and it is appreciated for its fine taste,” he says.
A dealer has to pay around Rs 1.25 lakh freight cost per truck due to the remote location of the market in Mysuru from Amritsar. With each piece weighing over 1 kg, the freight cost comes close to Rs 10 per piece.
Then loading and unloading charges are paid multiple times with each piece being counted while loading at the market in Mysuru and next again at Amritsar’s Vallah market while unloading it.
With the onset of monsoon, coconut would start coming from Gujarat, causing its cost to fall in the market due to two reasons. Supply route between Gujarat and Amritsar is shorter in comparison to Karnataka. Presently three trucks of fresh coconut are coming daily from Karnataka.
He says since it is a highly labour-intensive profession, most of the vendors involved in it come from remote areas of Bihar due to poverty.
He recalls that the coconut started arriving in the local market over 25 years ago. At that time, three tones of coconut used to be brought daily by train from West Bengal. At that time, the demand was negligible.
After Covid-19 pandemic, its demand rose sharply as doctors also prescribed its consumption.
