Ahmedabad-based art conservator Ananya Krishnan recalls being taken aback during her last trip home to Kerala in June.
“Before returning to Ahmedabad, I stopped at my usual market in Kollam for banana chips. The bag that used to cost Rs 100 was now Rs 150. Confused, I asked the shopkeeper why. He said coconut oil for frying had jumped from Rs 200 to Rs 350 a litre. ‘Coconuts aren’t cheap anymore,’ he told me,” she said.
Krishnan turned to her mother-in-law for answers. “Since mid-2024, Kerala has been facing a serious coconut shortage. Prices have surged, and for many households, this once-everyday staple is becoming a rarity,” her mother-in-law explained.
The coconut crunch isn’t limited to Kerala. Across southern India, including the Konkan region, coconut prices have soared from Rs 15–25 per piece a few years ago to Rs 80–100. Tender coconuts in metropolitan markets now sell for up to Rs 100 each. Coconut oil, the backbone of South Indian cooking, has jumped from Rs 150–200 per litre to Rs 400–500. The shortage of coconuts and its byproducts has hit households hard.
Festivals like Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi felt the pinch. During Onam in August, the traditional 23-dish Onasadya meal, which earlier cost around Rs 300 per head, was being sold at Rs 500 in many restaurants, reported The Hindu. Even after the festivals, prices haven’t softened. Konkani solkadi is less creamy, and Kerala’s thoran has lost its rich coconut punch.
The crisis has even fueled theft. In August, thieves in Kerala reportedly climbed trees at night to steal coconuts in bulk, according to Manorama. With soaring costs, some households in Kerala, Goa, and Konkan have switched partially to sunflower or groundnut oil, reserving coconut oil for special dishes.
The Indian coconut shortage is part of a global trend. Worldwide demand has risen, while output has fallen. Health-conscious consumers and non-traditional markets have turned the humble coconut into a luxury item. In Goa, a major tourist hotspot and home to the coconut tree as the state symbol, only 40% of local demand is met by local supply; the rest comes from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, which are already struggling.
Coconut in India isn’t just a fruit—it’s water to drink, flesh to eat, shade to rest under, husk for ropes, and shells for utensils. With prices soaring and supplies tight, the shortage is affecting kitchens, traditions, and daily life alike. Even your beloved coconut chutney might turn runny.
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