Coconuts selling briskly, prices go up

NEW DELHI: Street vendors selling green coconuts have reported a sharp rise in sales in the last two weeks with the number of chikungunya cases rising.

NEW DELHI: Street vendors selling green coconuts have reported a sharp rise in sales in the last two weeks with the number of chikungunya cases rising.

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Municipal bodies have recorded 1,057 cases and the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease has climbed to 10.

Coconut water is recommended for chikungunya patients since it keeps the body hydrated and supplies essential electrolytes.

The coconut sellers at Bhogal market in south Delhi and Bengali market in central Delhi said their daily sales have doubled.

“We get around 200 customers daily. The stock that took four days to finish, is now being consumed in two days,” said a seller who stations his cart in Bhogal market.

A fruit seller in Bengali market said, “These days a customer buys 10 to 12 coconuts. They say that several members of their family are down with chikungunya.”

The rates have also gone up.

“We used to buy a coconut for Rs 26 and sold it for Rs 30. Now, our buying rate has gone up to Rs 38 so we are selling a coconut at Rs 40 to Rs 45,” said Satinder, a fruit and vegetable shop owner in Bhogal market.

Rommel Tickoo, senior consultant of internal medicine at Max Super-speciality hospital, Saket, said, “Coconut water can quickly replenish electrolytes as it contains high amounts of potassium and moderate amounts of magnesium, sodium, calcium, chloride and phosphate. It also contains has amino acids, iron, vitamin C and B complex vitamins.”

Nand Lal, a taxi driver, said coconut water helped him recover from chikungunya. “I was unable to move for 15 days. People recommended coconut water and it helped me recover,” Nand Lal said.