Tension with Pakistan hits betel farmers

KOZHIKODE: Amidst the worsening of ties between India and Pakistan, the century-old betel trade between Malappuram's Tirur and Pakistan has almost come to a standstill, leaving thousands of farmers cultivating betel leaves (paan) exclusively to cater to the Karachi and Lahore markets in dire straits.
The export of betel leaves from the Paan Bazar in Tirur, which has survived many wars and decades of fragile peace between the two countries, has been badly hit with the trade plummeting from five tonnes a week in May to just a namesake 500kg currently .Traders say that though the doubling of import duty by Pakistan in June had led to the crisis, the border tension and vocal calls from several quarters for snapping trade ties with Pakistan following the Uri terror attack has blighted the chances of any recovery .
Tirur leaves command a premium in Pakistan because of its spicy and aromatic flavour. The trade had over the years acquired the status of a symbol of friendship between the people of the two countries.
The livelihoods of around 12,000 betel farmers in and around Tirur hinge on the markets in Pakistan where the `Tirur Lanka Paan' is in much demand.
“The escalation of conflict has further compounded the crisis created by the 100% hike in import duty by Pakistan which has made the Tirur leaves three times costlier than leaves from Sri Lanka which has swiftly eaten into our market share,“ said Abdul Latheef, the owner of Alukkal Trading which had been exporting the leaves to Pakistan for the last four decades. He said that with the recent tensions, he has not been able to even contact the importers in Pakistan over telephone.“We have been doing business with traders from Pakistan for decades. I have memories of them coming to our town when I was a child,“ he added.
With the Pakistani market drying up, the farmers are feeling the pinch with local prices slipping from Rs 50 for a pack of 100 leaves to Rs 25 currently which barely covers the production costs.
“It is not at all viable for us to grow betel leaves for the domestic market,“ said Melethil Beeran Kutty who is secretary of the Tirur Vettilla Karshaka Sangham.
P K Ashraf Haji, another exporter said that while Pakistan has increased the import duty on leaves from India, it has reduced the duty on leaves from Sri Lanka.