KOLAR: Ahead of Vara Mahalakshmi festival on August 8, bananas, especially the yelakki variety, have become expensive, selling at Rs 120-130 per kg, up from Rs 60-65 just a few days ago. But the festival is not the only reason, traders in Bengaluru said, pointing out that the price surge is because many farmers have not taken up the crop as they sustained severe losses over the last two years. Last year, the crop was first hit by lack of rain during the sowing season, and later, the remaining crop was damaged by heavy rain.
Even this year, farmers said, the rain pattern has been erratic. “There was no rain when the crop needed it the most. Many farmers who had cultivated bananas uprooted the plants. Continuous rain caused black spots on the remaining fruits,”said Kantharaj from APMC Yard Association.
‘Banana prices to dip after Vara Mahalakshmi’
Farmers who chose to grow the one-year banana crop this season are seeing bumper income.
In Kolar too, the yelakki banana is being sold in the retail market at Rs 120 per kg, while wholesale dealers are purchasing it from farmers at Rs 80-90 per kg depending on size. Punniyamurthy, a wholesale trader from EVK Mandi, said the prices could climb another Rs 10 over the next two to three days and will come down after the Vara Mahalakshmi festival.
Farmer Ganesh Gowda, who is also a representative of the Raitha Sangha, said this year, he chose to grow bananas only in two acres as he sustained losses over the last two years due to heavy rain. “The two-acre plantation will give me more returns than what I gained over the last two years. Many major banana farmers gave up growing the fruit this year because of losses two successive years,” he said.
Those who have not harvested bananas over the last 10 days expecting better prices ahead of the festival will get good returns, farmers said.