While fruit merchants in Mumbai have decided to boycott the GI-tagged Vazhakulam pineapple, the incessant monsoon rains have hit the supply of the speciality fruit from Kerala, pushing up the prices.
Mumbai’s Fruits and Vegetable Merchants Association has decided not to accept any Vazhakulam pineapple cargo for one week in protest against the ‘artificial’ jacking up of the prices by pineapple dealers in Kerala. They have alleged that the dealers are hoarding the produce with a view to securing higher prices.
However, the Vazhakulam Pineapple Merchants Association denies the allegation. “There is no question of hoarding, but there is a drastic fall in the supply after the Ramzan season,” Baby John, President of the association, told
He said that pineapple has a shorter shelf life and that farmers and dealers always try to sell off their produce as early as possible. “If the Mumbai merchants know the technology to increase the shelf life and thus hoard the fruits to cash in on the price rise, our association is ready to pay them for the technology,” Baby John quipped.
FALL IN SUPPLY
Baby John said that there has been a one-third shortfall in the production this season because of the heavy and incessant rains. “The combined effect of a very hot summer followed by the heavy rains has led to the decaying of plants and fruits – and fungus infection has been widespread,” he said. Because of the supply shortfall, prices have shot up.
On Thursday, the Green Grade was quoted at Rs 32 a kg, Special Green Grade Rs 35 and Ripe (which is sold in the Kerala market) Rs 45.” Mumbai merchants have complained that prices have been jacked up by more than 100 per cent by Kerala dealers. To force the dealers to bring down the prices, truckloads of pineapple sent to Mumbai from Kerala are not being downloaded.
FARMERS unfazed
“The Mumbai boycott is not going to hit farmers and dealers at all,” John claimed. “In fact, we are happy about their boycott as we can sell the produce in the local market at higher prices.”
He said that the upcoming Onam season would further increase the demand, and thus the price of pineapple.
The Vazhakulam pineapple used to be grown in a village called Vazhakulam, some 40 km from Kochi. As the fruit gained popularity, farmers spread out to other parts of the State and leased out land to cultivate the fruit.
After Vazhakulam received the GI (geographic indication) tag, pineapple grown in the entire central Kerala region is now sold as Vazhakulam pineapple.
The place is now said to be the largest pineapple market in India.