Every day for twenty-five years Louisa Nona has been coming to the pavement of the Pettah private bus stand with a load of betel leaves to sell.
Often she returns home with more left over betel leaves than she could carry.
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rnThings are different these days.rn
rnThis has nothing to do with her appearance but everything to do with the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.rn
rnldblquote During this season I bring around 15,000 leaves. On other days we bring only about 8,000-10,000.
When prices go up I can sell more, dblquote Louisa Nona says.
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rnShe has good sales during the week before the New Year.rn
rnLouisa Nonas betel leaves however is cheaper than her competitors.rn
rnAccording to her, a batch of 1000 betel leaves sells for Rs. 300. But the New Year has pushed prices up.
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rnShe sells the same amount of leaves for about Rs. 500 or Rs. 600.rnThis works out to a mere Rs. 0.50 to Rs. 0.60 a leaf.rn
rnA small return for the trouble they go through to find farmers, buy the leaves and tra