For most Goan households, a coconut is an everyday necessity. For Sneha Shinkre, a homemaker from Ponda, one large coconut a day is enough to cook for her small family. But during Ganesh Chaturthi, her requirement shot up to over 20 coconuts a day. The Shinkre family celebrates the festival together, and with 24 to 30 people eating at a time over five days, the demand for coconuts was endless.
“Each big coconut cost me Rs 60 to 80 this year. Luckily, we had stored some from our farm, but the market price was too high. We have never seen such rates, nor imagined such a shortage during the festival,” Sneha said.
She is not alone. Thousands of Goan households depend heavily on coconuts, which are used in almost every dish, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, as well as sweets. But in recent months, consumers have struggled with soaring prices and limited availability.
Shortage during peak season
While mature coconuts are used in cooking, tender coconuts are in constant demand for drinking. Goa produces only about 20 per cent of the tender coconuts consumed here, while the remaining 80 per cent come from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Prices of tender coconuts, once Rs 20, have shot up to Rs 80.
“Because farmers get Rs 30-35 per nut, they prefer selling to the tender coconut industry. This reduces the supply of mature coconuts for cooking, pushing prices up. Coconut oil makers who once imported copra from Sri Lanka or Costa Rica are also buying more Indian coconuts,” explained Dr Satish Tendulkar, former director of Agriculture in Goa.
He said sales of tender coconuts surged from February to June this year, leaving fewer mature coconuts by the monsoon. The shortage peaked during Chaturthi, when demand was highest. The Goa Horticulture Corporation had to bring in coconuts from other states to bridge the gap.
Farmers battle pests, monkeys and rising costs
According to Goa Bagayatdar chairman, Narendra Sawaikar, the shortage is also due to diseases in trees and damage caused by monkeys, locally called *kheti*.
“Farmers are experimenting with new crop varieties suitable for Goa’s climate and soil, but the monkey menace is severe. With no control measures allowed, farmers remain helpless,” Sawaikar said.
He added that fewer padelis (traditional climbers) now harvest coconuts. Earlier, local padelis would climb trees, check for diseases and inform farmers, who could act in time. Now, many padelis come from outside Goa, without knowledge of local diseases, and trees die without treatment. Goan youth are not keen to take up the job due to lack of state support.
Coconut plantations also face damage from wild animals such as Malabar squirrels, and from pests like rhinoceros beetles and red borers. Diseases that rot the crown of the tree have become more common. Two years ago, cyclonic winds added to the losses.
“Five per cent of trees on each farm are dying every year. Drones could help detect disease early and spray pesticides safely, but such measures are yet to be widely used,” said a farmer from Bardez.
Hotel industry adds to demand
Hotels and restaurants in Goa are another big reason for the high demand. Krishi Ratna awardee farmer, Hemant Sawant, explained that coconuts are sold in bulk by size. Wholesale rates for farmers are around Rs 22-23 per nut, but in markets, large coconuts cost Rs 50-60.
“Around 10 truckloads of tender coconuts arrive daily from Kerala and Karnataka. Ideally, consumers should get large coconuts for Rs 55-60, but there is no regulation. The cost of production itself is Rs 15-20 per nut due to labour, disease and smaller yields. Support price should be at least Rs 20,” Sawant said.
Farmers seek fair support
Progressive farmer Sachin Tendulkar from Dabal urged the government to revise its support price and release payments on time. “Costs have gone up, but support has not kept pace. The government should run a model coconut farm with its resources to show farmers the best practices,” he suggested.
Older farmers also complain that the trees they depend on were planted by their fathers or grandfathers, but little investment is being made in maintaining or replanting. Rising land prices discourage the younger generation from taking up coconut farming.
Meanwhile, toddy tapping has added to the shortage of mature nuts, and with Goan food in high demand in hotels, the pressure remains constant.
Despite challenges, Goan coconuts remain prized for their taste and quality. Some farmers are turning to organic manure and vermicompost instead of chemicals to preserve this uniqueness.
Call for better agriculture support
Farmers say the flourishing coconut oil industry has added to the stress on supplies. They also complain of weak agricultural extension, with less experienced officials often handling farmer support. “Goa announced an Agriculture Policy, but what about its implementation? Farmers need consistent follow-up, not just paperwork,” one farmer asked.
Without stronger measures, both consumers and farmers may continue to suffer. Sneha Shinkre, like many homemakers in Goa, summed it up: “For us, coconuts are not optional. We cannot cook without them.”
