It's a strange situation in Kerala. While coconut prices are crashing, the humble coconut shell is suddenly in high demand, with prices soaring. Industries in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are buying them up for things like cosmetics and water filters.
In a totally unexpected market twist in Kerala, the price of coconuts is dropping, but the price of the humble coconut shell is shooting through the roof. Believe it or not, you can now get up to ₹33 for a kilo of shells. The demand is so high that buyers are coming all the way from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to pick them up. Meanwhile, farmers and traders are really worried as green coconut prices have hit a one-year low, down to just ₹4500 per quintal.
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So, what's behind this sudden craze for coconut shells? It turns out, all these shells are heading to charcoal factories in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. They're used to make things like activated carbon for water purifiers and even ingredients for cosmetics. This new industrial use is what has pushed up the prices. But the thing is, this price boom isn't helping every farmer. Those who sell their coconuts whole, with the husk and shell intact, are missing out completely. They say the only way to actually make a profit from this is to separate the shells themselves and sell them.
