Betel leaf prices rise 300 per cent

Damage to crops by the recent floods have caused rise in prices.

MULTAN: Prices of betel leaves have swelled in southern Punjab following damage to crops by the recent floods that swept through the country in July and August.

Betel gardens in Sindh, which are responsible for around 65 per cent of total production and supply the commodity to various locations across the country, have encountered losses as the floods have swept away standing crops.

Talking to The Express Tribune, some dealers said they have never witnessed such a massive increase in betel leaf prices which have surged about 300 per cent from Rs200 a kilogramme to Rs800 (average price for high quality leaves). Rates of other leaf qualities have also witnessed a similar trend.

Dealers say that hoarders and black marketers have become active in a bid to take advantage of the situation, along with owners of gardens in those parts of southern Punjab where crops were not affected by the floods.

In addition to the local produce, prices of imported betel leaves – for example ‘Saloon’ brought from India – have also doubled from Rs700 to Rs1,500 per kg. People connected with the business said that dealers in the open market, who had imported the leaves from India much earlier, are now selling the commodity at exorbitant prices.

Dealers complained that the government has so far been unable to arrest the skyrocketing prices and has kept mum on the issue. The betel leaf industry is quite large and attracts a decent number of consumers, particularly from major metropolitan cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2010.