SOURCE: C. JAISANKAR, The Hindu
According to sources, nendran constitutes about one-third of banana cultivation in the Tiruchi district. About 7,000 hectares of land was brought under banana cultivation during the current season (2023-24). Of this, nendran was raised on about 2,500 hectares of land. Most of the landholdings in Andhanallur, Kuzhumani, Pettavaithalai, Manikandam, Mutharasanallur, Jeeyapuram, Thiruvalarcholai and Panayapuram were brought under nendran cultivation.
Farmers, who completed planting in April 2023, have begun harvest. Agents of banana traders from various markets in Kerala have arrived at the banana cultivation centres in Tiruchi to procure nendran, which enjoys great demand in Kerala. While the farmers, who had availed loans from the banana traders from Kerala, are sending the harvested banana to the markets in Thirssur, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Pallakkad and others, some farmers prefer to market their produce in the banana market in Tiruchi.
According to traders, the banana market in Tiruchi had been receiving about 5,000 bunches daily for the last two weeks. There are loads from Sathyamangalam in Erode district. One kg of high-quality banana fetched ₹38 for farmers in the Tiruchi market. The rate is said to be good for farmers.
K.N. Sekar, a banana trader in Tiruchi, said that the rate (₹38 a kg) was constant for the last few days. It would continue to hover around the same level for a few more weeks. The market had started receiving nendran cultivated from Sathyamangalam. The rate might go down if the arrival improves.
A farmer in Thiruvalarsolai said that the prevailing rate was good for farmers. It would augur well for farmers, who brought their lands under banana cultivation in March and April last year. The harvest would gain momentum in two or three weeks.