Banana sales hit Rs. 370M in Bardiya

By Our CorrespondentGulariya (Bardiya), Feb. 3: Bananas worth Rs. 370 million have been sold in Bardiya this year. Around 600 farmers in Bardiya district have produced nearly 38,000 tonnes of bananas on about 750 hectares of land.

According to Toplal BK, President of the Banana Entrepreneurs’ Association, Bardiya, about 50 tonnes of bananas are being produced in one hectare of land in Bardiya. He said that farmers have been able to sell bananas worth Rs. 370 million during this year’s banana production season. 

Although bananas were not sold in the beginning, banana sales increased after the government of Nepal completely stopped banana imports from India. The government had imposed the ban after disease was detected in Indian bananas.  Following the import ban, bananas produced in Bardiya sold rapidly. Farmers who were forced to sell raw bananas at Rs. 300 per crate before Dashain were later able to get prices as high as Rs. 500 per crate after the import ban.

The income of banana producing farmers has slightly decreased this year as compared to last year.

Initially, bananas were not sold and later, due to the rains, the bananas that were ready to be sold got moldy, which led to a decrease in the farmers' production and income as well. 

After the implementation of the Banana Zone Programme in Bardiya district, banana cultivation has been taking place in an area of ​​about 750 hectares. Last year, the annual banana turnover in Bardiya was Rs. 400 million.

After the implementation of the Banana Zone Programme in Bardiya, banana cultivation has expanded to around 750 hectares. Last year, banana transactions in Bardiya amounted to Rs. 400 million annually.

Banana farmers had been demanding a ban on the import of Indian bananas from the government for the past 14 years. This year too, farmers had reached the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and demanded a ban on banana imports. 

At the same time, banana imports were completely stopped after the outbreak of a disease called TR 4 in bananas in India, said President BK. Banana farmers have been demanding a ban on Indian banana imports for the past 14 years.This year as well, farmers reached the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to demand the import ban.

Around the same time, an outbreak of a disease called Tropical Race 4 (TR4) spread in bananas in India, leading to a complete halt in banana imports, according to President BK.

With the ban on imports from India, the possibility of further expansion of banana farming in Bardiya has increased. Banana farmer Tika Kumari Samseli Magar said that they are moving towards further expansion of cultivation to ensure that Nepali bananas meet the market demand. 

She said, “Now we are no longer worried about banana market prices. We are encouraging other farmers to take up banana farming as well. We have organised the farmers and have come up with the idea of ​​cultivating bananas collectively.”

Banana farmer and entrepreneur Shambhu Prasad Adhikari said that farmers have started increasing banana cultivation this year. He said, “Farmers are becoming more attracted to banana farming. There is a strong possibility that the area under banana cultivation will increase.”

Along with the expansion of banana farming, the sector is becoming more organised in Bardiya. Facilities such as banana ripening and storage chambers, tissue culture banana nurseries, and industries extracting fiber from banana stems have been established.