This assumes significance as the state accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the total coconut production in the country. Out of the total of 13,088 million nuts produced in the country during 1997-98 Kerala's share was 5,911 million nuts.

The sharp fall in output is likely to push the coconut oil prices further up in the 2000 season. The coconut oil prices ruled high during the 1999 season with the average price remaining as high as Rs 5,300 per quintal. The coconut oil prices even touched a record high of Rs 6,000 per quintal during the closing months of the year 1999. During 1998, the average price of the commodity ruled lower at Rs 4,700 per quintal and never crossed the threshold of the Rs 5,000 per quintalmark.

According to the Survey Report on Mite Infestation on Coconut in Kerala conducted by the Coconut Development Board during December 13-18, the mite outbreak had hit the lion chunk of the coconut growing areas in the state. The survey results shows that 5,89,14,220 palms in the state have been afflicted by the disease. This accounts for a whopping 42.23 per cent of the coconut palms in the state, a notch over the state government's estimates of 40 per cent. The crop loss estimated by the survey was to the tune of 21.80 per cent.

According to the survey findings, the situation is grim in the central districts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and in the northern districts of Palakkad and Malappuram. Ernakulam and Thrissur are the worst hit with 92.8 per cent and 93 per cent respectively of the coconut palms infested by the disease.

In Palakkad, Alappuzha and Malappuram the incidence of disease has reached about 72.7 per cent, 67.67 per cent and 64 per cent respectively.

The yield loss in theseareas are expected to be higher with Ernakulam topping with a 51.88 per cent loss followed by Thrissur (43.88 per cent) and Alappuzha (42.49 per cent).