Daranggiri (Assam): As the coronavirus continues to creep across the country, closure of Asia's largest banana market due to the ongoing lockdown has affected hundreds of banana producers.
The Daranggiri banana market, located in Western Assam's Goalpara district, which is known as the largest banana market in Asia, has been closed for last several weeks due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, affecting the banana producers mainly in and around the Goalpara district and the Meghalaya's Garo Hills region.
In Goalpara district alone, the banana cultivation is spread to about 3,700 hectares of land.
Over 800 farmers are engaged in the banana cultivation in the district who produces 40,000 MT of banana every year.
Apart from this, thousands of tons of bananas were also brought in to the market from adjoining Garo hills region of Meghalaya.
While the market, which is operational for twice a week is wearing a deserted look, farmers engaged in banana cultivation have failed to bring their produce to the market due to the lockdown.
"Our produces are getting rotten due to lack of the market. The buyers have not been able to come to the market due to the lockdown. The situation is pathetic as hundreds of farmers in Assam and Meghalaya are solely dependent on this banana market," said Ranjit Kumar Rabha, secretary of the market.
"We have appraised the Assam government over the situation and urged the government to help the farmers. Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora also visited Goalpara district recently. Although he had assured us to look into the matter, nothing has happened so far," Rabha added.
The bananas from the Daranggiri market are normally procured by buyers from different states like Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and many other states of the country. The bananas are also exported to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
It is to be noted that last year the government had exported a huge quantity of bananas from Daranggiri market to Dubai also.
