Abstract

According to a recent estimate by the Provincial Market- ing Officer, Madras, bananas are grown in the province on an area of nearly 140,000 acres. The estimated annual production of fresh banana fruits is of the order of 1,133,000 tons. Of these, Poovan accounts for more than half with an annual production of 741,000 tons. Monthan, Nendran, Kunnan, Mauritius, Rasthali, Pachanadan, Hill bananas and Chakerakeli follow next in order of importance, the first two claiming a pro- duction of nearly 90,000 tons each per year.. The pre-war exports outside the producing districts were over 910,000 railway maunds, of which the district of Trichinopoly claimed roughly 529,000 maunds, East Godavari, West Godavari and Madura 100,000 maunds each, and the districts of Salem and South Arcot about 70,000 maunds each. The exports by rail outside the province ranged from 80,000 to 90,000 railway maunds, mainly from the Cauvery area to the Mysore State and from 60,000 to 120,000 railway maunds from the Godavari area to the Nizam's Dominions and North India. In effect, the pre-war exports of 140,000 to 210,000 railway maunds may be taken to represent the annual surplus of fresh banana fruits in the province.

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