Dhanusha, Nov 4: Bananas worth fifty million rupees have been imported from India to Janakpurdham, the capital of Madesh, for the near-coming Chhath festival. Banana is considered a must fruit for the people observing the festival, especially for those fasting on the occasion.
President of Janakpur Fruits and Vegetables Traders Committee, Bishweshwar Yadav said since bananas are offered to God as an argha during the Chhath festival the demand for the fruit is high. Since, the local produce is not enough there is a compulsion to import from neighbouring India.
He shared that last year bananas worth more than Rs.40 million had been imported, which increased to 50 million rupees this year.
Various varieties of bananas are imported to Janakpurdham from Assam, West Bengal, Hajipur, Thakurganj and Champaran, said Bhuvneshwar Purve, Secretary of Fruit and Vegetable Traders Committee. The price of banana has increased by 20 percent this year compared to the previous year. Banana is being sold at a price ranging from Rs.500 to Rs.1000 per spike.
Traders say that even though there is a lot of potential for banana production in Nepal the local production does not meet the demand. In addition, the price of bananas coming from India is cheaper than bananas produced in the country so in the border areas they are imported from India.
