Banana prices skyrocket in Bengaluru; Here's why

If bananas are a staple for you, prepare for bad news because prices have spiked in Bengaluru - to ₹100 a kilogram, with the Yelakki type of banana being the most expensive.

Published on: Jun 21, 2022, 18:24:27 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan

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Bananas are the new tomatoes in Karnataka capital Bengaluru, costing up to ₹90 per kg in retail markets. This is reportedly because there is a supply crunch in the market after several farmers gave up on their crops as they had earned very low prices over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bananas are costing a fortune in Karnataka capital Bengaluru. (Pixabay)

According to the Krishi Marata Vahini, the state-run online agricultural marketing information system, rates for various types of bananas, as of June 20 and 21 are listed below in the table.

Market prices for bananas in various districts of Karnataka as of June 20 and 21.

The yelakki type of banana in Bengaluru costs around ₹65 per kg in wholesale markets, while the same costs up to ₹90 per kg in retail markets, including HOPCOMS.

Independent sellers and distributors in shopping malls and online commercial spaces are reportedly selling bananas for ₹100 a kg. A report by The Hindu said that the spike in prices will continue for at least the next six months as arrivals in the markets have taken a drastic hit.

However, other types of bananas had more economical prices. The robusta variety is said to be priced between ₹20 and ₹23 per kg, while the nendra variety was ₹55 to ₹60 a kg, and the chandra type cost ₹40 to Rs. 45.

Read: How the rising temperature is making your tomatoes costlier

The supply crunch in the crop is expected to continue at least until the next year as a fresh round of cultivation is only set to begin at around that time.

Recently, Bengaluru was one of the metropolitan cities where tomatoes were the costliest as there is a short supply after the scorching summer heat caused a major drop in yield. Tomatoes in Bengaluru cost a staggering ₹95 per kilogram, which is higher than that in nearly all other metro cities.

Also Read: At Rs. 100 per kg, tomato prices skyrocket in Bengaluru: Here's why

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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