White arecanut prices in Dakshina Kannada have recovered after over five months and some grades are close to touching Rs. 300 per kg again.
Prices of different grades of white arecanut jumped by Rs. 15 per kg in the last fortnight itself, Ramesh K., a grower, said. After crossing Rs. 300 per kg in July, 2014, prices had come down to Rs. 235 per kg, he said.
The ‘chol’ grade (harvested between November, 2013, and April, 2014) now commands Rs. 295 per kg compared to Rs. 280 per kg a fortnight ago.
At the same time, ‘double chol’ (harvested during 2012-13) commands Rs. 300 per kg compared to Rs. 285 per kg this mid-January.
Prices of new supari (harvested from November, 2014) have shot up from Rs. 210 per kg to Rs. 225 per kg in the fortnight, Mr. Ramesh, who was also a member of the G.V. Joshi Committee on Production Cost of Arecanut, said.
Konkodi Padmanabha, president, Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd., Mangaluru, attributed the rise to multiple factors. He claimed that the Union Commerce Ministry had recently written to Sri Lanka to prevent the export of arecanut and that had worked, he claimed.
He said that strict vigil on the borders with Bangladesh and Nepal has curbed the “illegal means of transport” of arecanut into the country.
In addition, he said that there was good demand from Gujarat for white arecanut especially for ‘chol’ grade due to its quality. Economically strong consumers in Gujarat preferred quality supari, he said.
A CAMPCO official said that as it is the season of marriages and other functions in Gujarat and the demand would continue till April. The prices are likely to remain stable till then.
Manchi Srinivasa Achar, president, All India Areca Growers’ Association, Puttur, said that as ‘kole roga’ (fruit rot disease) had hit many plantations in 2013 its impact is seen now. Due to short supply prices of ‘chol’ have touched Rs. 295-300 a k.g.
Mr. Ramesh said that a year ago during the same season (January, 2014) prices of ‘chol’ grade stood between Rs. 185-Rs. 190 a k.g.
