Corona-hit Kerala says no to TN banana, bitter news for growers

Farmers said that Kerala was entirely dependent on nendran variety, which was being raised in around 50,000 acres in Tiruchy, Karur and Namakkal districts.

Traders from Kerala use to place orders for nendran with growers from Vayalur, Kulumani, Pettavaithalai, Lalgudi, Thottiyam and Manachanallur in Tiruchy and Kulithalai in Karur from January to March. “Tamil Nadu use to send 500 tonnes every day to Kerala and the cultivation is a lucrative one for farmers, who take up nendran cultivation. The fruit will be sold between Rs 40 and 50 per kg”, said Puliyur A Nagarajan, president of Tamil Nadu Horticulture Farmers Association and State President of the TMC (Farmers Wing).

He said that the price of banana declined to Rs 10 recently and with the Kerala traders stopping procurement of the fruit, the fate of the standing crops in around 40,000 acres in the region has now become uncertain.

“As on Wednesday, at least crops in 10,000 acres are ready for harvest but, they will certainly go waste if they are not harvested in the next two days along with causing a huge loss to farmers,” said Nagarajan.

Meanwhile, Nagarajan urged the State government to procure banana at a minimum support price of Rs 25 per kg so that the loss could be offset. The government can distribute the nendran variety in the noon meal scheme as it is highly nutritious, he suggested.

“We have sent a representation to the agriculture secretary to allow us to sell nendran in all Uzhavar Sandhais,” he said.