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Go nuts over this one
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Health concerns have come back to our lives in a big way and so have tender coconuts
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BEAT the HEAT With so much goodness packed into it, even the cola-quaffing generation makes a go for the nutrient-packed tender coconut Photo: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.
IT IS the height of summer now. This is the time when juice and soft drink manufacturers make hay while the sun beats down. But there is one natural drink, which is still the number one and is second to none, when it comes to quenching thirst on a hot day. The humble tender coconut, of course.
Sold throughout the year and consumed in large numbers for everything from drinking it to performing abhishekas, its price climbs the highest during the summer. It is now at a record high of Rs. 12 apiece. Bangalore gets its supply of tender coconuts from Ramanagaram, Bidadi, Maddur, Mandya, K.R. Pet and Malur. It is collected from the auction centres in mini-lorries and sold on bicycles, by the roadside and on carts. The wholesalers in the city are located in Bommanahalli, Jolly Mohalla (City Market) and Chamarajpet.
Divine nectar
Anwar, a tender coconut merchant in Jolly Mohalla, calls it "deva amrutha" (divine nectar) as it can be used for everything from puja to preparing traditional medicines. Anwar has been running the business for the last 20 years and gets his supply from Byramangala, Parsepalya and the surrounding areas. He gets about 2,000 nuts, every day in tempos or lorries, and has 15 vendors distributing them.
"The last few years have not been good for the business. The epidemic, which has affected coconut trees in the State, affects the green outer shell of the coconut also. Medicines have had no effect and the farmers are finding it very tough. The water scarcity has also led to the poor quality. So, farmers in some areas are using borewell water," says Anwar.
"The sales during summer is very good but business during the rainy season is very dull. So only three months in a year are good for business," he adds. He says that tender coconuts used to be sold for as low as 25 paise two decades ago, but now he sells it for Rs. 3 (wholesale price). He also prefers to stock only small size tender coconuts as he has realised that the common man can no longer afford the big ones.
Narasimha has been a prominent tender coconut seller for the last two decades. His shop at Sadashivanagar circle gets a steady stream of customers in scooters and even cars. School children and employees from the nearby bank also frequent his stall.
"Tender coconut is very good for the heat. It cures stomachache, tiredness and is very good for people suffering from illness. I have a loyal customer base that frequent my stall throughout the year," he says.
Narasimha also has eight vendors operating on bicycles and he personally goes to Maddur to hand pick his tender coconuts. He tries to ensure that they are free from any disease. He warns that prices might shoot up further because of water scarcity and high fuel costs.
Abdul Rahim, a vendor from Madivala says that prices have gone up by Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 in the last one year. But he feels that there will always be demand for tender coconuts.
"People consume it in the morning and even late at night. Some even drink two or three at a time. So there will be not be demand shortage and soft drinks will never be in the run," he says.
Choosing it right
He says that it takes years of experience to choose the right quality of tender coconuts. It is very difficult to find the ones that have ganji (thin layer of coconut) in them unless you are experienced, he says.
But Abdul Rahim and the others echo the same feeling. They hope that there will be good rains this year, which will hopefully give them more and better tender coconuts to sell next year.
M.V. CHANDRASHEKAR
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