Occupation: Wholesale dealer of bananas
It has been a good day for me. Onam is just a few days away and all banana bunches (vazhakkula) that I had stocked have been sold out.
As you might know, this market in Manacaud is dedicated to bananas. Nenthran (ethan), palayamkodan, rasakadali, peyan, poovan, robusta and kappa are the main varieties you get here. I sell only the nenthran (ethan) variety. My father, Kesavan, who is no more, started this business. I joined him when I was 25 and now I am 49.
You will find nearly 15 wholesale banana dealers and over 50 traders who sell different kinds of plantain in the market. I know the numbers because I am the president of the Manacaud market unit of Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi.
There is always a huge demand for bananas. The requirement is more during the festival season. For Onam, nenthran is sold more because it is needed to make banana wafers. Most of my clients are those who make banana wafers. The rest are bought by hotels to make vazhakkappam/pazhampori. Rasakadali comes a close second, since it is usually served for the sadya.
We depend on Tamil Nadu for almost all varieties of plantain. Nenthran mostly comes from Karungal, Thuckalay and Arumana. Robusta and rasakadali are brought from Theni and Mettupalayam. Of course, we do get some from within the district, especially from places such as Balaramapuram, Neyyattinkara and, at times, Parassala. No doubt, the nadan variety tastes better than those from across the border. In addition, during the months of March to July we take bunches from Vallioor, Cheranmahadevi, Amba Samudram, Thoothukudi and Kalakkad in Tamil Nadu.
Banana bunches arrive at the market every evening and are sold the next day. We have air-tight rooms where the bananas are ripened because some clients want ripened fruits for their shops. Usually I take only one load of bananas daily. If it is a tempo traveller, there will be about 350 bunches. If it is a bigger vehicle, we get 800 bunches. During Onam I always go for an extra load to meet the demand.
The Manacaud market hasn’t changed much. It now has a few stalls that sell fish and vegetables. However the rush has increased. I remember my father telling me that there was a time when the market was opened only twice a week - on Tuesdays and Fridays. Later it started functioning on Sundays and Thursdays as well. Now it is open throughout the week.
The shops open as early as 4 a.m. I usually come here by 7 a.m. and wind up by 12 noon. After a break I am back at the shop by evening. I stay near Attukal Temple, with wife Indu, a teacher, and my two sons, Gokul and Govind.
It is true that prices of bananas are going up every day. In the case of nenthran, the price increased after many farmers lost their crop in strong wind and rain. Today it is priced at Rs. 65 per kilo and is bound to go up in the coming days. Rasakadali is costliest now. Even palayamkodan variety, which is usually nominally priced, costs more.
The field has become competitive. Rates differ from one wholesale dealer to the other. Also, Chala and Palayam markets are now getting direct supply of bananas.
Earlier we used to supply bunches to the shops there. I have to be on my toes so that the business doesn’t get affected.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
