Rautahat Farmers Suffer Losses as Banana Crops Lack Insurance Coverage

Rautahat. Farmers in Rautahat are suffering due to the lack of insurance coverage for banana cultivation. Farmers here are bearing the brunt of natural disasters because the banana crops planted in various local levels of the district are not insured.

Severe windstorms on Monday evening caused extensive damage in Chandrapur Municipality. Farmers are facing financial hardship, especially after banana crops worth approximately NPR 1.5 crore planted in Chandrapur-3 were completely destroyed.

Banana cultivation in areas including Pourai of Chandrapur-1, Judibela of Chandrapur-2, Gairatar of Ward No 3, and Chandranigahpur of Ward No 4 was completely damaged by the windstorm. Gairatar village in Chandrapur-3 is known as the main area for banana production. Most farmers here engage in commercial banana farming.

Local farmer Deepak Gautam stated that the efforts of an entire year were destroyed in a moment as thousands of banana plants were uprooted by the windstorm on Monday. With the loss of investment, labor, and time, farmers are on the verge of economic collapse.

Farmers cultivating bananas have to face natural calamities every year. Gautam says that although banana cultivation is often destroyed by windstorms, diseases, and sometimes attacks by wild animals, the entire loss has to be borne by the farmers because there is no insurance. He mentioned that despite repeated calls to Chandrapur Municipality to insure banana cultivation as commercial farming increased in this area, the pleas went unheard.

Farmer Gautam complained that Mayor Sanjay Kumar Kafle of Chandrapur Municipality and various insurance companies ignored requests for crop insurance. He cultivates bananas on about 7 bighas of land. In Rautahat, banana cultivation covers over 400 bighas of land, and the damage from the windstorm exceeds NPR 3 crore.

Similarly, another farmer from Chandrapur-3, Ramesh Ghimire, stated that farmers' investments would be secure if banana cultivation were insured. He mentioned that farmers are suffering because there is no insurance here. Ghimire stated that crop insurance is essential at this time. He complained that insurance companies are reluctant to insure banana cultivation, citing high risk. This causes farmers to face further problems every time a natural disaster strikes.

Chandrapur Municipality Mayor Sanjay Kumar Kafle stated that the municipality is ready to provide all kinds of support for farmers' crop insurance. He said that since insurance for crops is very necessary, they are ready to provide any kind of assistance for insurance.