The government’s stricter enforcement of quarantine measures has reduced banana imports from India, leading to a surge in demand for domestically produced bananas.
Chairman of the Chitwan Banana Producers Association, Ghan Nath Mahato, said farmers who had struggled to sell their produce in previous years are now witnessing improved market conditions.
According to him, in the past, farmers were unable to sell green bananas (Jinaine), and some of the produce even went to waste. Although the yellow Malbhog (Chini Champa) variety found a market, farmers had difficulty securing reasonable prices. Currently, green bananas are selling at Rs 3 per piece, he said, although the retail price is around Rs 15 per piece.
Mahato noted that farmers had faced significant problems during major festivals such as Dashain and Tihar last year when green bananas failed to sell. However, sales have now improved considerably.
The yellow banana variety is also fetching better prices, selling at Rs 600 per bunch. Farmers have found relief as domestically produced bananas are now receiving both market access and fair prices, he added.
Coordinator of the Nepal Banana Producers Federation, Bishnu Hari Pant, said tighter biosecurity measures have curbed the import of bananas, creating space for domestic products in the market.
“After the detection of the TR4 disease in bananas in Nepal, quarantine checks were tightened,” Pant said, adding that stricter inspection of imported bananas has been in place since December 18.
Read: Infection of Panama Disease Risks Banana Farming in Nepal
The TR4 strain of Panama (withering) disease was detected in bananas for the first time in Nepal in August 2023. This disease in bananas is caused by Fusaria Oxysporum Cubense Fungi.
Government authorities had also adopted strict measures at the border areas two years ago to prevent the spread of panama disease in bananas, fearing that the disease might spread in the country with the import of bananas from India.
Pant claimed that due to weak quarantine enforcement in the past, banana farmers suffered losses worth Rs 600 million during last year’s Dashain and Tihar festivals alone.
“Banana farmers are now encouraged. If the current situation continues, Nepal could become self-sufficient in banana production within a year,” he said, adding that stricter biosecurity measures have helped prevent farmers from being displaced from the sector.
While domestic bananas are gaining market share, Pant acknowledged complaints that consumers are being forced to pay higher prices. He urged the concerned authorities to monitor the market.
“We have received information that middlemen are overcharging consumers. Market monitoring is necessary,” he said.
Chief of the Project Implementation Unit under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, Mahesh Regmi, said the problem of market access and pricing for bananas produced in the district has largely been resolved.
According to him, bananas are currently cultivated on around 2,000 hectares in the district, with an annual production of approximately 70,000 metric tonnes.
He added that the government is committed to continuously enforcing biosecurity measures at quarantine points to promote local production. Bananas produced in Chitwan are supplied to major cities including Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bhairahawa.
Read: Indian Banana Imports Affect Nepal’s Market
What is the TR4 strain?
According to scientists, the infection of bananas by this strain means the destruction of the farm itself. According to Khadka, all the crops in Africa and Australia were wiped out due to this disease. As the current banana species could not fight against this disease, the scientists did not bother to seek a remedy but instead invented a new species of banana 'G-Nine' which is resistant to the disease in order to revive commercial banana farming.
Khadka says that after the use of 'G-Nine' variety of banana in commercial farming around the world, other local banana species got wiped out due to this disease.
According to the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC), another strain of Panama disease was recorded in Nepal 15 years ago and it destroyed the local Malbhog variety of bananas in Nepal.
This disease causes the leaves of the banana plant to turn yellow and finally the tree will collapse. To avoid the infection, the place where the disease occurs should be sealed immediately.
-- With inputs from RSS
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