Rajamahendravaram: Coconut exports hit by coronavirus

Rajamahendravaram: The deadly coronavirus also hit coconut transactions in Ambajipeta coconut market and daily Rs 3 crore worth of Kuridi (dry coconut), Copra and Neetikaya exports were stalled.

Every day about 200 to 300 lorries load of dry coconuts are exported to Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

According to a coconut trader, the main activity in the market is export of dry coconuts and rotation was stopped due to coronavirus and facing funds problem.

Last week the price of 1,000 dry coconuts was Rs 14,000 and now the price came down to Rs 12,000 as the Central government announced corona as national calamity. The sales of Neetikaya also drastically reduced as all the temples were closed up to March 31 and also the government gave a call to celebrate Ugadi festival in a simple manner.

Moreover, the daily wagers working in coconut market are also facing problems due to lack of work and also as the market has been closed due to the virus. A daily wager K Lakshman Raju points out that Ambajipeta market is busy every day with loading and unloading of coconuts. But, for the last one week the daily workers are worried about their future.