Increased banana farming substitutes import

By Jyoti Panthi,Babai (Bardiya), Aug. 28: Banana production in Bardiya has increased significantly, resulting in a decline in imports from India.  Following the declaration of three local units as 'Banana Zones' in the fiscal year 2021/22, farmers’ interest has grown, and with rising local production, import of Indian bananas has been completely replaced.

The programme which was initially launched under the Prime Minister’s Agricultural Modernisation Project now operates as part of the National Agricultural Modernisation Programme. It has encouraged farmers and the number of people engaged in banana cultivation in Bardiya has gone up significantly.

The areas designated as Banana Zones include Gulariya Municipality–1 to 9, Madhuwan Municipality–5 to 9 and Bansgadhi Municipality–1 to 3. Over the past four years, approximately 350 hectares of land in these areas have been used for commercial banana farming.

“The Banana Zone has given us considerable encouragement. Income is now satisfactory,” said Kamal Gyawali, a farmer from Gulariya–4, who cultivates bananas on 12 bighas of land. Another farmer, Shambhu Adhikari, noted that banana plants can yield returns for around five years after one year of investment, attracting more farmers to the crop.

Bardiya produces about 17,517 tonnes of bananas annually. Traders now purchase directly from farms rather than importing from India.

Shankar Ghimire of Suhelwa, Gulariya–4, said that while Indian bananas are spoilt quickly, locally produced bananas can be stored for longer periods, reducing losses for traders.

According to Agricultural Officer Yubaraj BK of the National Agricultural Modernisation Office, Bardiya, the area under banana cultivation has expanded rapidly since the zone designation. Local produce is sold within the district in markets such as Gulariya, Sano Shree, Rajapur, Bhurigaun, Mainapokhar, and Bansgadhi, and also reaches markets outside the district including Kohalpur, Surkhet, Dang, Pokhara, and Butwal.