How much are you currently buying a dozen bananas for? 200, 210, 220, 225 or even more. For some time now, the price of bananas has been increasing every day. It is difficult to get them at the price you bought the day before. Consumers are forced to buy them at a price of 250 to 350 rupees per dozen in the retail market.

Some retail shops say that even with this increase in price, they are not getting enough bananas. They suspect that the shortage may have occurred due to the Mata Tirtha Aunsi festival. However, this time the price of bananas has been increasing continuously since Falgun. The main reason for the price increase is not only the Aunsi festival but also the ban on banana imports.

The data of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Committee also shows that the price of bananas increased in Magh, Falgun, Chait of 2081 and Magh, Falgun, Chait of 2082.

Compared to 1 Baisakh 2082 and 1 Baisakh 2083 alone, the price of bananas per dozen has increased by 50 percent. The price of bananas per dozen has increased by 50 percent in the wholesale market itself. On 1 Baisakh 2082, the average transaction price per dozen in the Kalimati wholesale market was Rs. 150. On 1 Baisakh 2083, the average transaction price was Rs. 225.

The average price of bananas per dozen from 22 Magh to 9 Chait was Rs. 145, and from 10 Chait to 3 Baisakh 2082 was Rs. 150. However, on 26 and 27 Magh 2082, it was Rs. 180. It had reached Rs. 185 on 27 and 28 Falgun and Rs. 190 from 29 Falgun to 2 Chait 2082.

It reached Rs. 195 on 3 Chait, Rs. 210 on 4 Chait, Rs. 202 on 5 Chait, Rs. 205 on 6 Chait, Rs. 200 on 7 Chait, Rs. 210 on 8 Chait, Rs. 200 on 9 and 10 Chait and Rs. 210 from 11 to 28 Chait. The price of bananas in the wholesale market has reached an average of Rs. 225 on 29 Chait, Rs. 220 on 30 Chait and Rs. 225 on 1 Baisakh 2083.

The reason for the increase in price in the wholesale market is that bananas are not supplied according to consumer demand. The Plant Quarantine and Pest Management Center has not issued new entry permits for banana imports since October 2, 2003. Traders say that they have not been able to supply bananas as per the market demand.

Roshan Adhikari, Information Officer of the Plant Quarantine, said that the import permits have not been issued due to the risk of Tropical Race-4 (TR-4) disease. ‘TR-4 disease is caused by a fungus, it has been seen in Chitwan, we dug up the plant and buried it, it can create a terrible situation,’ he said, ‘We are studying this further.’ He said that even though bananas that were not allowed to be imported formally, they were destroyed according to the legal process until information was received.

He said that the issuance of new permits for banana imports was also stopped for biological safety. ‘Earlier, banana imports were easy, this time the price may have increased since they could not be imported,’ he said.

The customs department's data also shows a decrease in banana imports. In the 8 months of the last fiscal year, 28 million 28 thousand 386 kg of bananas worth 1.15 billion 22 million 86 thousand rupees were imported.

In the 8 months of the current fiscal year, only 19 million 439 thousand 241 kg of bananas worth 765 million 56 thousand rupees have been imported. Due to the lack of banana imports, consumer demand has not been met and its impact has been seen in the price increase. However, the quarantine has stopped the import of Indian bananas citing the fear of the introduction of a disease called 'TR-4', says Amar Baniya, president of the Nepal Fruit Wholesalers Association, Kathmandu.

Amar Baniya, president of the Nepal Fruit Wholesalers Association, Kathmandu, says that the quarantine has stopped the import of Indian bananas citing the fear of the introduction of a disease called 'TR-4'. Baniya claims that it is not logical that the disease can enter when imported after paying customs duties, but not when imported through illegal routes. 'Even now, there are bananas that have been illegally imported into the market everywhere,' he said, 'We did not bring them.' However, non-businessmen are selling bananas by taking advantage of the opportunity.'

Baniya says that bananas, which used to cost Rs 100 per dozen, have now gone up to Rs 300 to 350. He says that Nepali consumers are having to buy bananas that are not edible at a high price. 'All the big bananas seen in the market are illegal, because Nepali bananas are not being produced in that size right now,' he said. He understands that Nepali production can only sustain the market for 3-4 months (Bhadra-Mansir). He argues that imports should be opened according to market demand during the rest of the time.

Although businessmen say that domestic production will meet the demand only from Bhadra to Mangsir, banana producers say that domestic production will be sufficient during other times, as there will be problems only in Baisakh, Jestha and Asar. Bishnu Hari Pant, president of the Nepal Banana Producers Federation, said that Baisakh, Jestha and Asar are the 'insufficient' months for Nepali bananas.

'From Baisakh to Asar, consumption increases due to the heat and  production decreases, which increases the price,' he said, 'Although Indian bananas come at other times, they have not officially arrived this time . However, the price of bananas sold by farmers has not increased much .'

He says that bananas that he sold for Rs 80 a dozen have to be bought for Rs 180 at the tandi in Chitwan .  He says that the government should control this huge gap through market monitoring .' Pant himself admitted that 30 percent of the total demand has to be imported bananas .

Panta says that farmers should be self-reliant in bananas and that they have already planted bananas for twelve months. He also claimed that there will be no such problem from next year. He also alleges that businessmen are trying to open banana imports on the pretext of making them expensive for consumers.