In Dang, Nepal, there has been a noticeable shift towards commercial banana farming, with local farmers transitioning from traditional crops. This shift is attributed to the ease of farming and market access for bananas. Prithviraj Lamichhane, an Agricultural Economist at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, noted that 670 hectares in the district are now dedicated to commercial banana cultivation. Of these, bananas grown on 530 hectares produce an annual yield of 4,535 metric tonnes. Lamichhane mentioned that while the local production satisfies about 60% of the market demand, reliance on imports from neighboring districts is necessary during festival times.
Areas such as Deukhuri, Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City, Gadahawa Rural Municipality, Shanti Municipality, and Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City are seeing growth in banana farming. Bidya Bahadur Chaudhary, from Sisahnia, Rapti Rural Municipality, has been engaged in banana farming for four years, reporting annual sales of Rs 13-14 lakhs from three bighas of rented land. Chaudhary finds banana farming more profitable compared to other agricultural ventures. Similarly, Rana Prasad Subedi, also from Sisahnia, has successfully been cultivating bananas on six bighas of land, without facing market access issues. The scenario of banana importation from India has evolved, with local production increasingly meeting market demands.
Source: Khabarhub