Kendrapada: Betel leaf (paan) farmers in the coastal belts of Jagatsinghpur and neighbouring districts are facing a setback after exports to West Asian markets came to a sudden halt due to the ongoing US-Iran war.“Nations such as Iran, Iraq, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait have been major buyers of Indian paan. Exporters in Mumbai source large quantities of betel leaves from Odisha before shipping them to these destinations. However, with exports suspended since last week, prices in local markets have dropped sharply,” said Lokanath Malla, a paan farmer from Nuagaon. He added that in local markets, 1,000 betel leaves are now selling for Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,800, compared to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 in international markets. Odisha farmers supply paan worth nearly Rs 1,200 crore to Mumbai annually.Naresh Das, a railway booking agent in Bhubaneswar, said earlier around 500 baskets of betel leaves were sent to Mumbai daily by train for 24 days a month. “Each basket carries about 2,000 leaves. After the US-Iran war, Mumbai exporters have stopped buying, and now we send only about 300 baskets a day,” he said. Nearly 1,200 farmers in Dhinkia, Gobindapur, Kujang Patana and Trilochanpur and other villages depend on the Gulf market. “Exporters in Mumbai have asked us not to send paan until the war ends,” said Nabaghan Swain, a supplier from Gadakujang. Odisha paan has a strong demand in the Gulf for its extra-large size, pungency and thick stalk. “The sandy soil of Kujang, Astarang, Baliapana, Bhogarai and Puri is ideal for paan cultivation, giving these areas a strong presence in international markets,” said Prasant Samal, a farmer from Dhinkia.Haldhar Swain (56), a supplier from Kujang, said, “We pack them carefully so they don’t rot by the time they reach other countries. Now, with exports suspended, we are upset that our leaves will not reach West Asia.” Mumbai-based exporter Jogesh Chaurasia told TOI that shipments have stopped because direct flights and shipping services to the region are suspended due to the war. “We are now diverting the Odisha paan supply to domestic markets, where demand is strong,” he said.
