SATV, Kathmandu, May. 22 - Banana farmers in Sunsari district are getting record-high prices this year, bringing long-awaited relief after years of financial struggles and low returns.

Farmers from Babiya in Inaruwa Municipality–9, including Budha Narayan Mehta, who has been involved in banana farming for a decade, said this year’s market conditions are the best they have ever seen.

Mehta, who cultivates bananas on 10 bighas of land across Inaruwa and Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality, said he previously faced heavy losses due to extremely low prices. “Last year, we had to sell bananas for just one or two rupees per piece. Some even went to waste or were fed to cattle,” he said.

This year, however, the situation has changed significantly, with traders visiting orchards directly and paying between Rs. 5 to Rs. 7 per banana. He said one truckload of bananas—ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 pieces—is being sold daily from his farm, finally allowing him to recover his investment.

He grows local and hybrid varieties such as Malbhog and G-9 bananas. According to him, both production and prices have improved this season, resulting in better earnings for farmers.

Another local farmer, Shyam Prasad Yadav, who cultivates bananas on five bighas, said the crop has been healthier this year with fewer disease outbreaks and no major storm damage. 

He added that strong demand has pushed prices to their highest level in recent memory. “Traders are now coming directly to the orchards instead of farmers searching for buyers,” he said.

Similarly, farmer Dinesh Mehta, who has been engaged in banana farming for 12 years, said improved market conditions have brought much-needed relief. 

He is currently selling bananas at Rs. 5 to Rs. 7 per piece. He noted that farmers would avoid losses if they received at least Rs. 4 per banana, whereas last year prices dropped to just Rs. 1–2.

He also attributed better prices to stricter border controls, which have reduced the inflow of Indian bananas and helped local farmers get fair value for their produce. He currently supplies two truckloads of bananas per week to traders from Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Narayangadh.

According to him, the months from Chaitra to Shrawan are usually the peak season for banana sales. In previous years, prices rarely exceeded Rs. 3 per piece during this period, making this year’s rise particularly significant.

He estimated that if current prices remain stable, farmers could earn profits ranging from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 550,000 per bigha. At present, farmers are selling bananas at Rs. 60 to Rs. 84 per dozen, while market prices range from Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per dozen.

According to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Sunsari, banana productivity in the district stands at 28 to 30 tonnes per hectare. Banana farming is currently practiced on around 675 hectares of land in the district.