Tek P. Gotame, Jagananath Adhikari and Man B. Chetri

DOI

ABSTRACT

A study was undertaken to assess the technological gap, farmer's knowledge on crop husbandry and production and marketing constraints on banana enterprise in Nawalparasi district during June to July 2004. This study has involved a combination of methodologies such as in-situ observation, key informant survey, focus group discussion, Participatory Rural Appraisal and Rapid Market Appraisal conducted by multidisciplinary team and secondary data were used. The motive force behind farmers to shift from a predominantly maize based cropping system into cash generating banana enterprise was due to lack of irrigation facility. However, an overwhelming constraint to the development and expansion of commercial production for this enterprise is extreme marketing problem. The awareness of growers about constraints on marketing has been realized. The technological gap between the research and farmer's knowledge were also felt directly. The orchard size ranges from one Kattha to 2.5 Bighas (339 sq meters to 1.7 ha) of land and orchard age ranges from recently established to 10 years old with ratoon cropping system. Plant population ranges from 1800 to 2400 per ha. It was found that most of the farmers have adequately applied nitrogen and phosphorus but potash was far below the recommended dose. Small farmers having less than two Katthas (660 sq meters) of orchard size faced acute marketing problem than commercial farmers. It was realized that there has a paradox situation of plenty with scarcity in production and supply system. The peak period of production has heavily concentrated from December to March, when there has been very low market price at all the market centers. Analysis on low fruit quality and production, and objective tree to solve marketing problems has been discussed.