Harvest of nendran banana under way in Tiruchi and Karur

Harvest of ‘nendran’ variety of bananas, which has good market potential in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu, is in full swing in Tiruchi and Karur districts. Unlike varieties such as ‘poovan’, ‘rasthali’ ‘karporavalli’ and ‘elachi’, farmers in Tiruchi and Karur districts raise nendran banana intending to tap its demand in Kerala. It is mainly raised on agricultural fields situated close to the banks of the Cauvery in Karur and Tiruchi districts.

Harvest of ‘nendran’ variety of bananas, which has good market potential in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu, is in full swing in Tiruchi and Karur districts.

Unlike varieties such as ‘poovan’, ‘rasthali’ ‘karporavalli’ and ‘elachi’, farmers in Tiruchi and Karur districts raise nendran banana intending to tap its demand in Kerala. It is mainly raised on agricultural fields situated close to the banks of the Cauvery in Karur and Tiruchi districts.

According to sources, as many as 5,000 hectares of land were brought under banana cultivation in 2022-23 season and nendran was raised on about 900 hectares. Allithurai, Kuzhumani, Thiruvalarcholai, Manikandam, Thiruvalarcholai, Panayapuram, Anthanallur and Jeeyapuram were among the areas, where nendran was prominently raised. Many farmers in Lalapettai, Kulithalai and neighbouring villages in Karur district have also raised nendran bananas. The banana crop, which was planted in April and May last year, is being harvested. A large number of traders and their agents from Alapuzha, Aluva, , Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Perumbavoor and Palakkad have camped in the cultivation centres for procuring the nendran bananas.

Thanks to the opening of the Mettur dam in May in 2022, well ahead of the normal date on June 12, for irrigation, the farmers did not face water shortage. The Cauvery river had continuous flow of water for ten months since May.

“We have recorded yield of 13 tonne to 15 tonne per acre during the current season. It is good,” says P. Vimala, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Tiruchi.

She said that the harvest had been completed on 70% of area covered and all the area would be completed within three to four weeks.

The offer price for nendran banana was said to be encouraging for the farmers this season. One kg of nendran was being sold for ₹30 in Tiruchi on Friday. The price in Kerala markets hovered between ₹30 to ₹40 on Friday.