Pricey Coconut Oil Pushes Halwa Makers Into Crisis

The halwa industry in Kozhikode is under a severe crisis following an unprecedented surge in coconut oil prices.

- LAKSHMI ATHIRA @Kozhikode

The scarcity and rising cost of coconut oil -- a key ingredient in halwa preparation -- have led to a steep hike in the popular sweet's price, forcing producers to scale down production and sales.

At Halwa Street in Big Bazar, home to around 100 halwa-making units, production has come down significantly in recent weeks.

"We used to make 35 kg each of 10 varieties of halwa daily, totaling 350 kg. To prepare this, we need about 35-40 liters of coconut oil. With prices touching Rs 480 per liter, it now costs us Rs 18,240 a day just for oil," Mujeeb, proprietor of PKM Wholesale Halwas on Gujarati Street, told TNIE.