Hajipur (Bihar): Bihar’s famous Hajipur bananas, which flood Indian markets every year, have been severely hit by repeated floods this season, leaving cultivators distressed and demanding compensation from the government.

As the state gears up for the Assembly elections, banana growers in Hajipur are hoping that their plight will receive political attention amid a poll season dominated by multiple issues.

Known for their sweetness and flavour, Hajipur’s popular China Banana and Malbhog varieties have been left ravaged by the floods. Farmers now fear they will not be able to meet the high demand for bananas during the upcoming Chhath Puja.

“There has been flooding here at least four to five times. Many farmers have died. There was banana cultivation here that was to be used during Chhath Puja. We don’t know what to do. People working in this business are now at a standstill. The cultivation is destroyed. What can the farmers do?” said farmer Rajkishor Rai.

Farm labourer Suresh Kumar echoed the concern, saying, “There was flooding four times here. Due to the repeated floods, farmers are facing heavy losses. The banana cultivation is destroyed. We are located near the River Ganga. The cultivation of pointed gourd and wheat is also destroyed.”

Cultivators worry they may have to seek loans to survive and replant their crops. "There are a lot of problems. We are facing heavy losses, as collecting the bananas will take a lot of money. After collecting the bananas, if the farmers are not able to make any money, then they will have to take loans and replant the crops. We don’t know if wheat can be cultivated or not. The banana crops are completely destroyed. The water is still there.", said farmer Mahendra Rai.

Many farmers have urged the government to intervene and provide relief. “We are facing issues due to the damage to banana cultivation. There has been no cultivation of pointed gourd. There has been flooding from the shores of the Ganga. The government is not looking into this issue. We want the government to make a dam here. And since we have lost our banana farms, we should be given some compensation,” said farmer Mahesh Rai.

Some cultivators believe that compensation for banana farmers could become an election issue. We will raise it. This topic will be part of the election,” said farmer Ram Babu.

The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with the results to be declared on November 14.