Itahari, May 22: Banana farmers in Sunsari District are enjoying record-high prices this year, offering long-awaited relief after years of financial losses and poor market returns.
Farmers from Babiya in Inaruwa Municipality said current market conditions are the most favorable they have experienced in years. Budha Narayan Mehta, who has been cultivating bananas for a decade across Inaruwa and Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality, said traders are now purchasing bananas directly from orchards at Rs. 5 to Rs. 7 per piece.
“Last year, bananas were sold for as low as Rs. 1 or Rs. 2 each, and many went to waste or were fed to cattle,” Mehta said. He currently sells one truckload of bananas daily, ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 bananas, allowing him to finally recover his investment.
Farmers said healthier crops, fewer disease outbreaks, and the absence of major storm damage have contributed to higher production this season. Strong market demand has also driven prices to their highest level in recent memory.
Local farmer Shyam Prasad Yadav said traders are now visiting farms directly instead of farmers having to search for buyers. Another farmer, Dinesh Mehta, said stricter border controls have reduced the inflow of Indian bananas, helping local growers secure better prices for their produce.
According to farmers, current wholesale prices range from Rs. 60 to Rs. 84 per dozen, while retail market prices have reached Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per dozen. They estimate profits could range between Rs. 300,000 and Rs. 550,000 per bigha if prices remain stable throughout the season.
The Agriculture Knowledge Centre Sunsari stated that banana farming is currently carried out on around 675 hectares of land in the district, with productivity averaging 28 to 30 tonnes per hectare. #Nepal
