KENDRAPARA: The drop in price of betel leaves has left farmers of the district high and dry. At a time when the farmers would have been at their business best, they are all left with leaves littered all around their farm which would hardly yield them any profit.
The farmers of Mahakalapada block said since export of betel leaves has stopped and demand of gutkha increased, they are in the throes of massive loss. “The exporters too have refused to purchase paan from us as the export of betel leaves to middle east and other countries has been stuck this year,” said Mahendra Sahoo of Jamboo village.
Last year, the farmers had sold a 1,000 leaves for Rs 1,000. “But now we are forced to distress sell the betel leaves at Rs 400 to Rs 500 per thousand pieces. We cannot recover the cost of inputs if there is no let up in the prevailing situation,” he said.
Paan growers used to supply paan to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and other cities. But now since gutkha business is roaring, businessmen are not interested to purchase paan from us, said Maheswar Behera, a paan trader.“The government has not fixed any MSP for paan for which it is not possible on our part to check distress sale of betel leaves, said sub- collector Niranjan Behera.