The price of the nendran banana variety is spiralling in the district, thanks to scanty arrivals and rising demand.
The spot prices for first quality nendran was ₹38 to 39 a kg at Meenangadi on Saturday as against ₹24 a kg on Monday. The price of second quality was ₹32 a kg.
The availability of the fruit has not kept pace with the demand after huge crop losses were reported in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, trade sources said. “The prices are spiralling as only the produce from Wayanad is available now,” a trader at Sulthan Bathery said.
The sources said the production deficit may further push up the nendran prices with the high demand during the Onam season. The situation might change only after Onam when the produce from Pollachi and Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu arrived by the middle of September.
Though the prices have shot up, farmers are not enthused as many had suffered huge crop loss this year.
As per the data with the Agriculture Department, nearly 13,000 hectares is under banana cultivation this year against 10,000 hectares two years ago. About four lakh plants in 132 hectares were uprooted in rain in the district this year.