At a time when there is a huge demand for banana in view of Ramzan fast and wedding season, the price of banana have spiralled in Tiruchi market.
Poovan variety, which is often referred as a poor man’s fruit, was quoted at Rs.30 a kg in the wholesale market on Monday. In the plantain market, one of the big commission markets in the region, one bunch of well grown Poovan, weighing 30 kg, was auctioned for Rs.800. Small Poovan bunch, weighing 20 kg, was sold for Rs.500.
In normal circumstances, one bunch of Poovan (first quality) would cost Rs.200 to Rs.250. It means that the current price of Poovan has shot up by about three times. In the retail market, a dozen of poovan variety was sold at between Rs.50 to Rs.60.
The price of Rasthali, another popular banana variety, was priced at Rs.600. Similarly, Sevvazhai, which is being brought from Sathiyamangalam in Erode district and Andhra Pradesh, is sold at Rs.900 (25 kg). The prices of Rasthali and Sevvazhai have gone up correspondingly in the retail market.
R. Arun Kumar of S.R. Plantain Commission Mandi, Tiruchi, said that the prices had gone up as there was a mismatch between supply and demand. There was a heavy demand for banana on account of ongoing Ramzan fast and marriage season. The current supply was insufficient to meet the demand. He said the Tiruchi market would receive 15,000 bunches on an average. However, it had been receiving just between 3,000 and 5,000 bunches a day.
Mr. Kumar said that there was hardly any supply from main supply centres such as Thottiam, Lalgudi and Musiri. The demand was being managed by the arrival from Pudukottai. However, the prices would come down from the third week of July as supply would pick up.
