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L.N. Revathy

Seek Govt intervention, support for marketing produce

Coimbatore , Nov. 3

The hill banana growers in the Palani and Sirumalai hills are a most disappointed lot today.

These growers had hitherto banked on the hill temple at Palani for offloading the farm produce.

The modification in the tender by the temple administration inviting supply of ripe, clean fruit vis-à-vis the ripe/green fruit they were supplying earlier has brought the supplies to a halt.

This unanticipated move has put the growers in dire straits. They are now seeking the Government intervention and support for marketing the produce.

The area under this crop had over the years dwindled to less than 200 acres in the lower Palani and Sirumalai hills because of the rapid spread of the Bunchy Top virus, which affected the yield potential completely.

The Horticulture Department went to the aid of the growers by subsidising and ensuring supply of disease-free planting material.

Growers, speaking to Business Line estimate the present area at over 15,000 acres in this belt.

They said they were enthused to take to hill banana cultivation because they could market their produce directly (breaking the intermediary/trader cartel) and at a pre-determined rate. The production was of the order of 30,000 kg/week.

More Stories on : Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables | Tamil Nadu

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