ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka average coconut prices fell at the weekly auction, ahead of the local government polls. The average price slid to 172,144.61 rupees for 1,000 nuts, down 5.37 percent from 181,915 rupees a week earlier.
Less nuts than offered were sold. Volumes offered rose to 268,411 from 226,241 last week, while nuts sold rose to 248,632 from 226,241, the highest since January 2.
Retail prices were around 208-215 rupees a nut on May 5, a day ahead of the local polls.
With auction prices moving closer to the market, bigger volumes were expected at the auction, industry officials have said.
Coconut volumes at the auction have seen a steep fall from 500,000 to 800,000 nuts seen in previous years.
The highest price for a nut was 180 rupees, in the first auction of May, while the lowest price was 166 rupees.
Sri Lanka has seen a drop in coconut production according to central bank data.
In Asia, Malaysia is exporting fresh coconut as a part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed to stabilise prices locally.
In India’s Goa coconut prices have doubled. A nut is now selling at 45 rupees to 50 rupees.
“The price of coconuts has seen a sharp rise across Goa this summer, with the nut- selling at nearly twice the usual price,” The Times of India said on Sunday.
Wholesale prices for large nuts were 180-200 rupees and small nuts were 160-170 rupees on May 02.
Farmgate price in Kurunegala was 150-160 rupees a nut.
In the local market coconut oil local wholesale price was 950,000 to 970,000.00 rupees per metric ton.
Copra was 130,000 to 145,500 rupees per 250 kg. (Coconut/May05/2025)
