TIRUNELVELI: With gale-force winds tearing down hundreds of acres of plantations across Tamil Nadu, the price of banana leaves has increased by many fold leaving hotels and wedding planners in a spot of bother.
On Monday, the price of a bundle of 200-240 banana leaves ranged between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,500. In the retail markets, a set of five leaves was sold for Rs 80 to Rs 90. Traders and farmers attribute the spike to dip in arrivals and demand ahead of the Karthigai deepam festival. Before the rains, a bundle cost Rs 300 for smaller leaves and up to Rs 600 for larger ones, said SPD Alagesan, a trader at Nethaji Bose Market in Tirunelveli Town.
Banana leaves brought from areas such as Eral and Kurumbur in Thoothukudi, Kalakkad in Tirunelveli, and Pavoorchatram and Alangulam in Tenkasi have drastically declined due to crop loss. During Ayutha Puja, a bundle was sold for Rs 5,000, which was normal given the demand during the pooja season. However, this is the first time the price has seen a steep increase in a non-festive season due to rain, he said.
At the Central Vegetable Market in Mattuthavani, Madurai, where 40 traders are dealing in banana leaves, a bundle of 200 leaves was sold for Rs 1,000 -1,500. In the Nagercoil APPTA market, the price of a bundle of 150 leaves was sold for Rs 800 -Rs 1,000, while it was sold Rs 250 -Rs 300 during normal days.
However, there was no significant change in the price in Theni. "Retailers buy a 100-leaf bundle for Rs and sell it at Rs 30 per kattu (which contains five banana leaves)," Theni Kamathenu Farmers Production Organization President Thirugnanam said.
At the Gandhi market in Tiruchy, the price soared to Rs 1,000 per bundle on Tuesday, up from Rs 600 -Rs 750 a day earlier. Farmers said prolonged moisture damaged a portion of the leaves, reducing supply to the markets.
Due to rain, the harvest of leaves was affected for three days in Thanjavur district, said M Mathiyazhagan, the president of District Banana Producers Association, adding the price of 100 full leaves has gone up to Rs 1500 from Rs 600.
M Rajendran, who runs a small hotel in Tirunelveli, said he has started to use paper leaves as banana leaf would burn a hole in his pocket. However, bigger hotels continued to use banana leaves.
People who have weddings planned said they had no option but to buy banana leaves. "The price rise of banana leaves has increased the budget for my son's marriage. For nine bundles of leaves and their transportation, I spent around Rs 39,000," said one T Kathiravan from Tenkasi.
(With inputs from Thanjavur, Tiruchy and Madurai)
TABLE
Pricey meal
Tiruneveli - Rs 3,200 -Rs 3,500 (200 - 240 leaves)
Madurai - Rs 1,000 -1,500 (200 leaves)
Nagercoil - Rs 800 -Rs 1000 (150 leaves)
Tiruchy - Rs 1,000 ( 100 leaves)
Thanjavur - Rs 1500 (200 leaves)