Jose Kannanchira, a 65-year-old farmer hailing from Maruthongara panchayat in rural Kozhikode, ventured into the cultivation of exotic fruits seven years ago, drawn by its profitability compared to other crops.
On his 1.5-acre land, he meticulously nurtured “high-on-demand” fruits like rambutan, consistently yielding an annual income averaging Rs 2 lakh.
This year, a promising harvest awaited him, with a wholesale fruit merchant willing to purchase approximately a tonne of his produce for Rs 2 lakh. However, the unforeseen Nipah outbreak cast a shadow on Jose’s plans.
Maruthongara panchayat, originating from where the index patient of the outbreak hailed, was designated a containment zone under high alert. Consequently, Jose lost his buyer, leaving him perplexed about his harvest’s fate.
The revelation that fruit bats are natural carriers of the lethal Nipah virus compounded Jose’s predicament, as consumers shied away from locally grown exotic fruits like rambutan, dragon fruit, and guava.
Expressing his frustration, Jose lamented, “The fruits are in ready-to-harvest condition and they should be plucked within the next two weeks. However, no buyer has approached me so far, and I have lost all hope of being able to sell even a single fruit this time as people are wary of consuming locally-grown fruit owing to the virus outbreak.”
Despite his precautions, using nets to shield the fruit plants from bats, people’s fears prevailed. Jose now faces a potential loss of Rs 2 lakh this season. He recalled, “Last year, I earned a revenue of over Rs 2.5 lakh,” even reminiscing about customers who used to purchase fruit directly from his field.
In his plea for government intervention, Jose expressed disappointment in officials advising against consuming locally-grown fruits as a preventive measure against Nipah. He questioned, “How can they make such unscientific statements without ascertaining that fruit bats are indeed the source of the Nipah virus in the region?” Jose has submitted a memorandum to the state government and the collector, seeking their assistance in resolving the issue.
The impact of the Nipah outbreak extends beyond Jose’s farm; many fruit farmers in the region face a similar predicament, with no market to sell their produce.
The fruit market in Kozhikode, in general, has seen a significant decline due to the virus, casting a shadow on the livelihoods of farmers like Jose and the future of exotic fruit cultivation in the region.
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