Coconut production declines, prices soar at Fakirhat

FAKIRHAT, BAGERHAT, Sept 4: Coconut trees once stood in rows across homeyards, gardens, roadsides and the banks of fish enclosures in Fakirhat Upazila of the district. Guests were offered fresh coconut water, while coconut was widely used in pitha, naru, payesh and various fish and shrimp dishes.

But the picture has changed. Fakirhat, once known as the “coconut capital”, is now facing a shortage of the fruit. Production has declined, prices have soared, the local market has shrunk and coconut oil mills have closed. The region's traditional coconut-based food culture is also gradually disappearing.

During a recent visit to different parts of the upazila, rows of coconut trees were seen standing in gardens, fish enclosures and along roads. But most were producing far less than before. Many trees had black spots and a white coating on their leaves, while the number of leaves had also declined.

According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in the upazila, Fakirhat produced 4,600 tonnes of coconut in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Production fell to 4,050 tonnes in 2020-21 and 4,000 tonnes in 2024-25, a decline of around 13 per cent in a decade.

Local farmers and traders, however, said actual per-tree yields have fallen by around 50-60 percent over the past two decades.

Veteran farmer Jinnat Sheikh said production began declining after Cyclone Sidr in 2007. Subsequent cyclones, including Aila, Amphan and Yaas, increasing salinity and the spread of pests and diseases after 2019-20 further worsened the situation.

He has around 200 coconut trees. Seven or eight years ago, he earned around Tk 1 lakh annually from them. His income has now fallen to around Tk 30,000.

Research funded by the Agriculture Research Foundation found widespread infestation of rugose spiralling whitefly in Bagerhat. A 2021-22 study found around 97 per cent of coconut trees in the district were affected. The pest leaves a white coating and promotes sooty mould, disrupting photosynthesis and weakening trees.

Fakirhat Agriculture Extension Officer Md Touhidul Hossain said a healthy coconut tree generally has around 36 leaves, but many trees now have only 15-20.

Farmers said a tree once produced 70-100 coconuts annually, sometimes as many as 140. Now, yields from many trees have fallen to less than two-thirds of that level. 

The shortage of mature coconuts has become more acute as much of the harvest is sold as green coconuts.

The crisis is particularly visible at Fakirhat's traditional coconut market. Wholesalers said hundreds of thousands of coconuts were once traded there every Sunday and Wednesday. Now, trading is limited to two lanes.

Wholesalers Nityananda Das, Ali Sheikh and Sheikh Hafizul Islam said a trader who once bought 8,000-10,000 coconuts a day now buys only 1,000-1,500.

A coconut that sold for Tk 25-30 five or six years ago now costs Tk 130-160, depending on size.

The crisis has also hit the coconut oil industry. Swapan Kumar Basu, owner of the closed Grand Auto Coconut Oil Mill, said around 109 coconut oil mills operated in Bagerhat district around 2003, but more than 100 have since shut down due to a shortage of raw materials.

He said nearly 90 per cent of coconuts are sold as green coconuts, while increased demand during the Covid-19 pandemic and dengue outbreaks further encouraged farmers to sell them before maturity.

The shortage is also changing food habits. Elderly homemaker Bishakha Das said coconut milk was once regularly used to cook egg korma and fish dishes, while grated coconut was used in shrimp fritters, paturi, naru, puli and bhapa pitha.

“Now it is difficult to prepare these dishes except during festivals because coconut has become so expensive,” she said.
Fakirhat Upazila Agriculture Officer Sheikh Sakhawat Hossain said integrated pest control was needed, but the agriculture office had limited logistical support.

“Last year, we trained 30 tree climbers, and this year we provided coconut saplings to 800 farmers to increase production,” he said.
Bagerhat DAE Deputy Director Md Motahar Hossain said ageing trees, inadequate balanced fertiliser use, climate change and whitefly infestation were contributing to the decline.

Dr Md Mainul Islam, Senior Scientific Officer at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, said pests and fungal diseases were seriously affecting coastal coconut production and called for long-term research.