May 17: The windstorm that hit Chitwan on Sunday evening destroyed banana plantations worth Rs 50 million in seven municipalities of the district. The Chitwan Banana Producers Association confirmed that the banana farmers suffered massive loss due to the windstorm.

General Secretary of Chitwan Banana Producers Association Janak Raj Panta said that bananas planted in a total of 150 bighas of land in the district were completely damaged. He said that the damage in 150 bigha of land caused losses of around Rs 50 million.

Among the seven municipalities of the district, Khairhani and Rapti municipalities suffered the most damage. Panta said that there was partial damage in Ratnanagar, Kalika and Bharatpur Metropolitan City.

Rishi Gurung, a farmer of Ratnanagar municipality-5, Jhuwani, who planted bananas in 35 bighas of land in Khairhani and Rapti, said that bananas in 10 bighas of land were completely destroyed by the storm. 

Similarly, 5 bigha of bananas belonging to Baburam Bhatta of Ratnanagar have been completely damaged in Ratnanagar-4, Seri. He said that he faced financial loss of Rs 2.5 million. He said, “There was a plan to prepare and send the bananas to the market towards mid-June. All plans got destroyed by the wind,” said Bhatta.

Baburam Duwadi's 2 bigha vegetable garden in Ratnanagar was destroyed as well, causing a loss of Rs 1 million. He said, “The crop was to be ready within a month or two. The wind suddenly destroyed the bananas.” 

The wind destroyed Malbhog and Jinine varieties of bananas. The association collected the details of the damage since Monday morning. Most of the farmers have been taking insurance as the banana plantations started to be destroyed due to the annual storms. Panta said that 95 percent of farmers in Chitwan have insurance. Altogether 750 farmers have been cultivating bananas commercially in 3000 bighas of land. Altogether 70,000 metric tons of bananas worth Rs 1.6 billion are produced here annually.