Ahmedabad-based art conservator Ananya Krishnan was surprised during her trip home to Kerala in June. “Before heading back to Ahmedabad, I stopped at the local market in Kollam for my favorite banana chips.
A bag that used to cost Rs 100 was now Rs 150. When I asked the shopkeeper why, he explained that coconut oil for frying had jumped from Rs 200 to Rs 350 per litre. ‘Coconuts aren’t cheap anymore,’ he said,” she recalls. Curious, Krishnan asked her mother-in-law why coconuts, once abundant in Kerala, had become so expensive. “Since mid-2024, Kerala has been grappling with a coconut shortage. Prices have surged, and for many households, coconuts are no longer a daily staple,” she explained.
The shortage is being felt across southern India. In states like Goa, Maharashtra, and Kerala, coconut prices have risen from Rs 15–25 a few years ago to Rs 80–100 per piece. Tender coconuts are selling for up to Rs 100 in cities, while coconut oil, essential to South Indian cooking, has surged from Rs 150–200 to Rs 400–500 per litre. Households are feeling the pinch, and traditional recipes are being affected.
Festivals like Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi have been hit as well. During Onam in August, the 23-dish Onasadya, which used to cost Rs 300 per person, was priced at Rs 500 in many restaurants, according to The Hindu. Even after the festivals, coconut prices remain high, making dishes like Konkani solkadi thinner and Kerala’s thoran less rich.
The shortage has even led to theft. In August, thieves reportedly climbed coconut trees at night in Kerala to steal the fruit, according to Manorama. With high prices, some households in southern India and the Konkan region are substituting sunflower or groundnut oil, saving coconut oil for special occasions.
This crisis is part of a global coconut shortage. While demand is rising, global output has declined. Non-traditional markets and health-conscious consumers have turned coconuts into a luxury. Goa, despite being famous for its coconut trees and beachside pina coladas, can only meet 40% of its local demand from local supply; the rest comes from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, which are already dealing with shortages.
Coconut in India is more than just a fruit—it provides water, flesh, shade, husk for ropes, and shells for utensils. With prices soaring and availability declining, kitchens, traditions, and daily life are all feeling the impact. Even your favorite nariyal chutney might be thinner than before.
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