Wayanad: The banana farmers of the state have lost their hope this year as the price crash continues even as the Onam season is round the corner. Last year this season the price of banana was above Rs 35 a kg whereas this year when the harvest season started, it touched its nadir at Rs 16.
However, it improved marginally this week (Rs 20 to Rs 23 per kg) in the market.
According to P.K. Saji, a trader in Kalpetta, the quantity is meagre this year due to the floods.
“Moreover, there is quality stuff in the market, as the harvest in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is high,” he said.
A farmer in Sulthan Bathery, K.R. Santhosh, said most of them plan their planting activities targeting harvest just before the Onam as the price would be higher in the season.
“For one bunch of bananas, the cost of production would be around Rs 30 per kg,” he said. “It would be only luck for a farmer if he gets back the cost of production this season.”
Farmers also pointed out that the price is still Rs 40 to Rs 50 in the retail market whereas they get as low as Rs 16 to Rs 22 for a kilogram for majority bunches.
Only the best among the bunches will get the market price while the rest will bag only inferior price much lower than the best. The district has more than 5,000 hectares of banana cultivation as majority farmers turned to bananas, as the crop ensured a reasonable price in the last few years.
