TIRUCHY: Farmers cultivating the popular Nendran variety are worried as prices have dropped sharply because traders from Kerala are procuring from markets close to the border instead of Tiruchy. According to agriculture department, nendran banana was cultivated in around 8,000 acres in Tiruchy this year against 6,000 acres last year.
Farmers in Thiruverumbur, Musiri, Thottiam and Lalgudi cultivate nendran, most of which would be sent to Kerala, the primary market. With traders in Kerala shifting procurement from Theni and Mettupalayam instead of Tiruchy, the local produce has flooded the market and has pushed down the price. Farmers said the price of one kg of Nendran variety has dropped to Rs 10 - Rs 12 against Rs 40- Rs 50 last year.
A bunch of banana is now selling at Rs 100 against Rs 400 - Rs 450 last year. “Traders are offering very low price, and farmers are forced to sell at Rs 11 per kg,” said SP Chandran, a farmer from Mullikarumbur. Chandran added that an integrated banana market complex was constructed at Thiruchendurai during the tenure of J Jayalalithaa as chief minister, where farmers could store their produce for over a week.
However, farmers now want to sell the bananas while they are still fresh so as to get a better price, he said. Vayalur N Rajendran, treasurer of farmers wing of Tamil Manila Congress, said only farmers in Tiruchy and Thoothukudi used to cultivate nendran variety.
Following the efforts taken by National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchy, Nendran cultivation has spread to places like Theni, Mettupalayam and the hilly areas of Bhavani using drip irrigation method. “So, the market for Tiruchy farmers has started to shrink. The state government has no proper scheme to support banana farmers,” Rajendran said.
The government should set up units to produce value added banana products which would help farmers during such situations, he added. P Karunakaran, a pushcart vendor said farmers usually don’t sell nendran in retail market. But this year, a large number of small farmers are coming to Gandhi Market. “So, we are buying it in the retail market,” he added.
Though the price of banana has fallen sharply, the price of chips remains the same in Tiruchy. It is still being sold at Rs 100/250 gram at roadside outlets, and Rs 110-Rs 125 in other stalls. Senior officials in the department of agriculture marketing were not available for comment.