Puzzlements in an evolving commodity chain: The case of tender coconut market in Kerala

Abstract

Although tender coconut is a delicacy for Keralites from time immemorial, it was never a commercial proposition and there was no market for the product. But of late, due to the fall in prices of coconut, the market for tender coconut is slowly evolving and it is getting into the food and beverage baskets of the population. There exists an emerging market for tendernuts in the tourist centers and nearby places. However, for the last 8-9 years, the market for tender coconut has been spread to most of the urban centers in Kerala. Studies underscore that annual tender coconut demand in the country is around 2300 million nuts, which is approximately 15 per cent of the total nut production in the country . In this context it is significant to study the tender coconut markets in Kerala essentially for two reasons, (1) there is no statistics available regarding the tendernut markets in Kerala (2) It is another form of demand for the coconut, and the results from the study would be extremely useful for the policy framework on coconut and its products.