Balurghat: Price of green coconut skyrockets amid sweltering heat
BALURGHAT: Attempting to beat the scorching heat on the election campaign trail, coconut water has emerged as the drink of choice. Even the public have turned to the humble coconut to quench parched throats as well as bring down political temperatures.
The festivities of Basanti Puja have further added to the demand. All this has resulted in the sky rocketing of the price of green coconuts. In the Balurghat market, one big green coconut is being sold at the rate of Rs 70 to Rs 80. The average price of a small sized one is Rs 50 to Rs 60.
Subhas Chaki, a political leader of Balurghat, said: “Green coconut water is very useful for campaigning in the hot summer. It has the right sodium and potassium levels. Green coconut water is the only way to meet the body’s water needs in hot weather that too when one is in the midst of intense campaigning.”
Local green coconut traders have admitted that the huge demand is one of the contributory factors for the rise in price. Sumon Bhagat, a businessman from Balurghat, said: “It is true that the demand for green-coconut is very high from the beginning of April and it continues till May-June. This year is no exception. It is not possible to meet the needs of the people of the district with the local production of green coconut. So we are forced to import green coconuts from Kolkata. If the demand for green coconut is met locally, the price of it might not have increased so much. However, the transportation cost for importing from outside is high and as a result the buyers have to spend more money.”
Narayan Chandra Kundu, a resident of Balurghat, who came to buy green coconut, said: “The price of green coconut is really high this year. Last year, a large green-coconut used to sell for Rs 30 or Rs 40. This year we are forced to buy the same for Rs 70 or Rs 80. We have never bought a green coconut at such a high price before but we have no choice. It is very hot now. I am in my late 80s. At my age, doctors have forbidden me to consume cold drinks. They say that drinking green coconut water regularly will help my body to remain rehydrated.”
Suman Sutradhar, an official of the local Meteorological department, said: “Now the temperature in South Dinajpur is hovering between 37 and 38 degree Celsius. Along with this, the amount of moisture in the air is increasing. There is no chance of heavy rain in the next seven days. Last year the maximum temperature in the district was 42.8 degree Celsius and it continued for three to four days. This year the maximum temperature could exceed last year’s.”
