Farmers have been asked to sell coconut and copra immediately, as the prices may fall after January, due to poor demand for oil from North India.

The Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has said this based on the results of an analysis that reveals the price of good quality coconut during January – March to be Rs.10 – 11 per nut and good quality copra to be around Rs. 50 – 53 per kg.

At present the price of coconut is between Rs.1,374 and Rs.1,650 per quintal in Avalpoondurai Regulated Market in Tamil Nadu, which is approximately Rs. 8 – 10 for an average size nut.

Current arrivals from Tamil Nadu have already commenced and periodical rains have boosted the production of nuts. Arrivals from Mysore have also commenced from last month and will continue till January end, the analysis said.

The present rate of copra is between Rs.51 and Rs.60 per kg in Perunthurai Cooperative Marketing Society and Avalpoondurai Regulated Market, it said.

Festival season in the upcoming months would enhance the demand, but price would be stable during this period due to the higher arrivals, the analysis added.

India occupies third position in coconut production in the world, as coconut was cultivated in an area of 2.16 million hectare. With an annual production of 1,50,870 lakh nuts in 2014-15, Tamil Nadu stands first with 50,747 lakh nuts, followed by Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.