In Thanjavur, a district in India primarily focused on paddy cultivation, banana farmers are currently facing a downturn in market demand due to recent rainfall and concurrent harvests in neighboring states. This has led traders to offer prices as low as $0.07 per kilogram for bananas, a significant decline from previous years. The district, which dedicates approximately 4,450 hectares to banana cultivation, primarily grows the 'poovan' variety, valued not only for its fruit but also for its leaves.
M. Mathiyazhagan, a local banana farmer, reported a sharp drop in procurement prices from last month's high of $0.36 per kilogram during festival times to the current rate of $0.07 to $0.08 per kilogram. The decreased demand isn't confined to local markets; traders from Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka, who previously purchased the produce, are now absent. The start of the harvest season in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is seen as a major factor in this decline.
Compared to last year's rainy season, when procurement prices were at least $0.18 per kilogram, this season has seen a steep fall. P. Sukumaran, another farmer, highlighted the severe impact of the current prices on local farmers' livelihoods, pointing out that the current rates don't even cover the cultivation costs, which span 10 to 12 months.
P. Tirunavukkarasu, a commission agent, confirmed that recent rains in Tamil Nadu and its neighboring states have disrupted the movement and pricing of bananas, contributing to the drop in demand. In light of the ongoing crisis, Sukumaran has urged government intervention, proposing the inclusion of bananas in school breakfast programs and the development of small-scale cold storage facilities as potential solutions.
Source: Indian Express