Banana farming booming in Tikapur

Banana farming is flourishing in Tikapur of Kailali district, earning handsome income for hundreds of farmers here.

Tikapur of Kailali district is lately famed for banana production. The fruit is estimated to have cultivated across 1,200 hectare of land in Tikapur.

Kalu Hamal is one among the farmers who started humble and now thriving in banana farming. He shared when he started he solely took up banana farming. The farming began with just 10 saplings.

Tekendra Dhami, a local banana trader, said that banana farming was thriving in Tikapur. “More and more farmers are being attracted to banana farming. There is no issue of market for the produces. Once cultivated, farmers could fetch income for three times,” he gushed.

Easy availability of banana sapling has also made it easier for the farmers to consider banana farming. Dhami sold around 200,000 banana saplings last year. Bananas produced here are sent to Bardiya, Banke, Dang, Rupandehi to Pokhara and Kathmandu. Traders come to the banana farm and buy it there itself, said trader Raj Kumar Chaudhary.

Furthermore, support provided from the Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project Agriculture Programme Implementation Unit for banana farmers has further encouraged them in farming.

The Project provides subsidy up to 50 per cent in sapling, compost, fertilizers and agricultural tools. The Project allocated Rs 6 million for banana farming in the current fiscal year, according to Dilip Jung Rana, Information Officer at the Implementation Unit.