Unknown disease worries Chitwan banana farmers

CHITWAN, Jan 15: Banana farming has become increasingly popular in Chitwan district with the production increasing three fold the last five years. However, spread of an unidentified disease among the banana trees has made banana farmers anxious. These farmers claim that the disease first attacks leaves, which spreads to the seed, and then to the entire tree.

"Though it's not the dry season, banana trees have gone totally dry due to the disease. We don't know what kind of disease it is," said Bishnu Bhattarai, a farmer from Mangalpur village.


Bhattarai has planted banana in eight bighas of land and bananas in around six bighas of land has been infected with this disease, he said. In his 11-years of banana farming experiences, he has not seen such disease, he added. "This disease has shocked me. Even the experts from the agricultural department have not been able to say anything about it," he said.

Bhattarai has leased the land for banana farming at the rate of Rs 50,000 per bigha. Besides the rent, he has spent over Rs 1.2 million in farming the bananas, he said. "If the bananas were not infected by this disease, I could easily earn Rs 3 million through this. The economic blockade has even increased banana's demand here but let the profit alone, now I'll be burdened by debt," he lamented.

Banana farming in Chitwan has covered 2200 bighas of land, according to the data of Banana Production Association. Five years ago, bananas were grown in half the present land size, the association says. However, farmers like Bhattarai are extremely worried over the new problem seen in banana farming. Radha Bhatta, farmer from Chitrasari village stated that the disease has spread in the entire district. "We are also noticing it in our trees. Others farmers are reporting the same. What could be the solution?" she asked adding that, "so far no one has been able to figure this out."

"I tried a lot to identify the disease but no way. Every effort has gone in vain," stated Yagya Subedi, former chairperson of Banana Production Association, Chitwan. Subedi himself has done banana farming in vast stretch of land. He added that there would be huge loss in banana production this year if the problem is not addressed soon.

Banana farming is popular in Jagatpur, Thimurama, Chainpur, Padampur, Jutpani and Ratnanagar municipality, among other areas of Chitwan.

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