A severe shortage of high-quality raw Nendran bananas has triggered a sharp price hike in Kerala just ahead of the Onam festival. In the wholesale market, the price of Nendran bananas has surged to ₹50 per kilogram, while retail prices have crossed ₹60 per kilogram in many areas.

Traders in Palakkad report that wholesale prices shot up by ₹12 per kilogram in a span of just ten days. The price, which stood at ₹44 last week, quickly climbed to ₹50, marking the highest rate recorded since May this year.

Supply crunch and quality issues
While demand for premium-quality bananas remains exceptionally high due to the upcoming festivities, local supply has virtually dried up. Most of the current supply to the Palakkad market is sourced from Satyamangalam in Tamil Nadu. However, merchants note that only a small fraction of these arrivals meets the required quality standards.

Impact on local delicacies
Traders explain that inferior-quality raw bananas cannot be ripened effectively using traditional smoke-ripening methods. Even when successfully ripened, their core remains tough and unpalatable for direct consumption. Consequently, these lower-grade bananas are being redirected to processing units to make popular festive snacks like sharkara upperi (sweet jaggery-coated banana chips) and classic banana chips.