Import of banana from across the border, India, has affected the domestic market. The banana being imported from India through legal and illegal channels has affected the Nepali banana market.
According to Chitwan Banana Producers Association Chairperson Madhav Ghimire, the local banana now is in a ready position for marketing. He said it has been difficult for local banana to get easy access to market with the Indian banana gaining market space.
Almost 40 percent of the banana available in the Nepali market has been supplied from India.
Chair Ghimire claimed that a large volume of Indian banana is being supplied in an illegal way. “Even the government does not tend to halt the import of banana from India”, he added.
Ghimire further said that domestic production of banana can be amplified in a way to make the country self-reliant in banana. “But, it needs to put on hold the import of Indian banana”.
It may be noted that banana farming is being done in around 3,200 hectares of land in Chitwan, the highest banana yielding zone of the country. Over 700 farmers here have been involved in banana farming.