GADAG: The twin villages in Gadag -- Yelishirunj and Yelishirur -- have betel leaves growers in every alternative house. Farmers of these villages now heave a sigh of relief as they are now back in demand two years after the pandemic with the fairs resuming in the district, boosting business.
The villages got the name ‘yeli’ meaning leaf in Kannada, since many farmers grow betel here. For decades, they have been cultivating betel leaves and have not tried other crops. People from nearby towns and districts visit Yelishirunj and Yelishirur to buy the leaves in bulk.
The pandemic had closed fairs resulting in huge losses for the betel leaves growers. Many sold betel leaves in Shirahatti for a thin margin. Now they have daily orders from Gadag, Shirahatti and Mundargi. Parashuram Uppar, a betel leaves grower said,
“Yelishirunj and Yelishirur twin villages have hundreds of farmers who are dependent only on betel leaves. Many farmers suffered in the pandemic. Farmers here sell thousands of leaves which can be stored for only a week. Our village is known for good quality leaves”.