Kozhikode: The retail price of Nendran bananas has soared to ₹80 per kilogram in Kozhikode, marking the highest rate this year, according to traders. Wholesale prices have also surged, ranging between ₹68 and ₹70 per kilogram.

The bananas, primarily sourced from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with smaller quantities arriving from Wayanad, are experiencing a price hike due to reduced production and adverse weather conditions, traders report. Key supply regions include Coimbatore, Sathyamangalam, Attappadi, Trichy, Gundlupet, and Chamarajanagar.

This season, many Nendran farmers, especially in the above-mentioned regions, have stepped back from cultivation, further straining supply. The nine-to-ten-month harvest period saw considerable losses in December due to harsh weather.

Traders predict the high prices will persist until February. Harvesting in Tamil Nadu, expected after Pongal, might offer some relief. Meanwhile, demand for banana chips from Gulf countries has kept export volumes steady at 300-400 tonnes daily, according to wholesale trader Mohammed, based in the Palayam market in Kozhikode.

Despite steady demand during the festive and Sabarimala pilgrimage season, local chips traders are grappling with thin margins due to inflated procurement costs, noted retailer K. Pradeep.  

Although the products are being sold at ₹440 per kilogram, the high procurement costs for Nendran bananas have resulted in minimal profits. The product, which was previously sold at ₹380, now has to be sold at higher price, leading to a decrease in sales, he added.

The market remains volatile as uncertainty surrounds the production of Nendran bananas and the sales of related products.