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Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

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Asie - Pacifique / Asia - Pacific : H. P. Singh et al.<br />

Grading & packing<br />

Primary wholesaler<br />

Wholesale distibution<br />

Wholesale processing unit<br />

Secondary wholesaler<br />

Retail processing unit<br />

Retail distribution<br />

Consumer<br />

Figure 3. Flow chart depicting processing chains of plantain chips.<br />

Plantain<br />

Producing<br />

area<br />

Kerala<br />

Southern<br />

Districts of<br />

Tamil Nadu<br />

Central<br />

Districts of<br />

Tamil Nadu<br />

(Trichy)<br />

Figure 4. Spread of plantain harvesting season.<br />

Retailer<br />

January Febr. March April May June July August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.<br />

Harvesting season Peak harvesting season<br />

617<br />

Kerala. Although in the lean periods of harvest i.e, the beginning <strong>and</strong> end of the season,<br />

bunches fetch very high prices in the market, a glut is a common feature in peak season.<br />

This brings down the price of fruits drastically since plantains have no market other than<br />

in Kerala State for distribution <strong>and</strong> consumption. Another glut is during March-April<br />

when it is a peak harvesting season in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The annual planting

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