RICE PRICES FALL, COCONUT ON RISE IN KOCHI

Coconut oil price has shot up nearly 84 per cent from last March level of Rs. 83.57 a kg to Rs. 131.64 a kg in March this year

Aided largely by a good winter harvest, rice prices across the spectrum of varieties are seen easing though the Andhra White is ruling firm.

Numbers from the Economics and Statistics Department showed that the red matta variety, ruling steady for a month, was selling at Rs. 32.93 a kg. However, the price of the variety had fallen nearly 10 per cent during the period between March 2013 and now. Similarly, the price of local red variety had fallen more than seven per cent over the last one year from Rs. 35.89 a kg to Rs. 33.22 per kg.

The prices of chamba, punja and other varieties too have fallen, the only exception being the red punja, the price of which had appreciated 3.13 per cent over the last one year.

However, the white varieties have created a different trend during the last one year. The price of Andhra White variety appreciated 4.89 per cent over the last one year, selling at Rs. 31.77 a kg against last year’s level of Rs. 30.29 a kg. The price of Palakkadan Jaya White too had appreciated more than 11 per cent from Rs. 30.63 a kg in March last year to Rs. 34.13 a kg during the current month.

Coconut oil price has shot up nearly 84 per cent from last March level of Rs. 83.57 a kg to Rs. 131.64 a kg in March this year. On the other hand, branded groundnut oil price has dropped nearly 10 per cent during the year period.

The price of coconut oil has moved in tandem with raw husked coconut price, which has gone up nearly 86 per cent from Rs. 93.57 for ten pieces to Rs. 173.93 for 10 pieces.