Horticorp launches pineapple procurement drive

Ripe fruit fetches only ₹13 a kg in wholesale market

With pineapple price sliding to ₹15 a kg for the best grade green quality and the ripe fruit fetching only ₹13 a kg in the wholesale market, the Kerala Horticulture Development Corporation has launched a procurement operation to support farmers. Pineapple farmers said around 6,000 tonnes of ripe fruit were likely to be abandoned, as harvesting and transport operations had been hindered due to the lockdown. With Ernakulam district coming under triple lockdown, there is little movement of goods and produce out of the district. Horticorp sources said the corporation had not set any volume target, but that it would continue procurement to help farmers. As on Wednesday, the corporation had procured more than 18 tonnes of the fruit, and the next lot will be procured on Sunday.