The principal areas growing bananas are Sankheda, Karjan, Dabhoi, Vadodara rural and Jetpurpavi. More than 3,600 hectares of land in the Dabhoi-Chhotaudepur stretch grow the `Robusta' variety -- arguably the best -- of the fruit.

According to prominent farmers of the Bodeli and Pavijetpur talukas, bananas were sowed on 700 more hectares of land this year. But that is not the only reason for the bumper crop: the yield has increased from 22 tons/hectare to 25 tons/hectare. The incidence of diseases, too, has been less, say Dhansinh and Jorawarsinh.

Experts offer more technical reasons for the flourishing of the crop. ``The Robusta variety has come out very well because of proper seeding, treatment, tissue culture, organic fertilisers and drip irrigation'', says District Horticulture Deputy Director R D Kalaria. His Horticulture Officer Dilip Bhatt says the absence of the `Sigacota' virus prevented the early ripening of the fruit.

The same holds true for almost all other vegetables, including tomatoes, lady's finger, brinjals, clusterbean, cowpeas and bottle-gourds. Prices of all these vegetables, too, have shown a downward trend in city markets over the past week.

Moreover, say officials, farmers have begun harvesting their produce slightly ahead of schedule in view of the cool weather. However, cabbages and cauliflowers, which are not high on the farmers' priority, may continue to be expensive.

Though the acreage for vegetables has not changed from last year -- they continue to be grown in 16,000 hectares in Padra, Vadodara rural, Jetpurpavi and Chhotaudepur talukas -- the harvest is better than average, say officials.

Talk of the town
Though onion prices have come down to Rs 10/kg, from Rs 15/kg a fortnight ago, the vegetable continues to be the topic of conversation in city markets because of its quality. Three truckloads of onions come to the city every day from Nashik, but their quality takes a battering in transit, admits Sukhdevbhai, a senior office-holder in the vegetable merchants' association of the city and the State.