
Double whammy for plantain farmers
The Hindu
Pandemic-related curbs, price fall dash hopes of cultivators in Wayanad
The restrictions put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 and a sharp decline in price of the produce have hit plantain farmers in Wayanad, a major ‘Nendran’ growing area in the State. The spot price of first-grade Nendran variety was between ₹25 and ₹30 a kg in Wayanad on Saturday as against ₹42 a kg two weeks ago. According to trading circles, the closure of markets during the period led to the slump in price. The price of second-grade plantain in the market is ₹20 a kg, but traders have been refusing to buy the produce in the past week on the grounds that there is no demand for it, said K. Shibu, a farmer from Venniyodu.
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