As Kerala gears up for the grand Thiruvonam feast, households and catering services are facing an unexpected pinch. The humble banana leaf—an irreplaceable centerpiece of the traditional Onam sadya—is seeing a sharp price hike. With the festive season of Atham underway, the price of a single prime banana leaf (thooshanila) has already touched ₹6 in retail markets, and traders predict it will easily cross ₹10 by Thiruvonam.

While the feast is uniquely Malayali, Kerala depends almost entirely on neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to source its banana leaves. Heavy rain in Tamil Nadu has devastated local banana plantations, severely choking the supply chain. Traditionally, Kerala’s markets relied on arrivals from Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, and Cumbum. To bridge the current deficit, wholesale dealers are now sourcing leaves from Mysuru and Bengaluru. However, international demand is also diverting supply, as wholesalers in Cumbum find lucrative export markets overseas, leaving domestic caterers to pay premium prices.

High wastage rates compound the crisis
Adding to the worries of local caterers is the poor quality of the transit leaves. Due to long-distance travel, bulk buyers report that out of every ten leaves purchased, only about six are fit for use, with the rest arriving torn or withered. Wiping and prepping the leaves further increases the damage rate. This high wastage means that even though the nominal market price stands at ₹6, the effective cost per usable leaf already exceeds ₹10 for businesses.

Local cultivation falls short of peak demand
Domestic supply within Kerala remains negligible, with only small-scale shipments coming from Perumbavoor, Piravom, and Thiruvaniyoor. Premium varieties like the vibrant, wide 'Then Vazha' leaf from Tamil Nadu command the highest prices, while 'Njali Poovan', 'Kannan', and 'Palayankodan' leaves also remain in high demand. With educational institutions, corporate offices, and community associations organising Onam celebrations, Kottayam district alone is consuming lakhs of leaves daily, turning this simple bio-plate into a prized commodity this festive season.