Ahead of Thaipusam on Feb 3, the price of coconut has been hiked up around here and Penang due to shortage in supply.

A survey conducted at Pasar Chow Kit, Selayang wholesale market and around Batu Caves here on Sunday found a price increase of between 10 sen to 50 sen a coconut.

Coconut suppliers and wholesalers were selling a small-sized coconut at RM1.60 to RM1.80 and charging RM2.00 for a medium and large-sized coconut.

A coconut wholesaler at Pasar Chow Kit, Masrum Amien, 47, said he was forced to sell at RM1.80 a coconut compared with RM1.50 previously after suppliers from Muar raised prices due to supply shortages.

"We get our coconut supplies from Muar, but since continuous rain and floods hit the area late last year, the supply was very short and we had to find an alternative," he told Bernama.

Masrum said he had to order coconut supplies from Indonesia to meet the demands of the Hindu community who want to fulfill their vows for Thaipusam.

A coconut wholesaler at Pasar Borong Selayang, S.Sumith, 53, said he was only able to distribute 80,000 coconuts to his customers for Thaipusam this year compared with 150,000 last year.

"Many (customers) want to order coconuts from us, but our supplies are not enough for all, we can only sell to those who order early and to our regular customers," he said while preparing coconut supplies for delivery to customers in Rawang, Selangor.

A wholesaler in Batu Caves, S. Jayendran, 40, also said the weather factor, namely continuous rainfall in some states was a cause for the shortage.

"The coconut plantation that we always take supplies from in Kuala Bernam, Perak, is not bearing as many fruits because of the rain," he said.

A survey by Bernama found that Hindus from across the country have begun to fulfill their vows in Batu Caves by shaving their heads and carrying milk pots, however, the ritual of breaking coconuts will begin a day before Thaipusam, on Feb 2.