Scientists of the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, will help farmers in Bidar and Kalaburagi in cultivating banana. They will work through the Bidar-based College of Horticulture.
Resource persons will train farmers in cultivation methods, protection of crops from pests and insects, and post-harvest technologies and provide seedlings and other inputs. Farmers will also be exposed to the market for fresh fruits and fruit-based products. NRCB will organise demonstrations in the fields of progressive farmers and organise lectures on the COH premises in Bidar.
As a first step towards this long-time association, a team led by the centre director B. Padmanabhan visited COH on Wednesday and interacted with farmers, teachers and students, and inspected the post-harvest laboratory, library, and the farms and greenhouses.
V. Kumar, scientist, said Bidar’s climate was suited for horticulture crops and encouraged farmers to try various types of banana. It is best to start cultivation on a small area and increase gradually, he said. He asked farmers to study the market and consult experts before taking up any new crop.
R. Thangavelu, scientist, said that the market for Kamalapur red banana would grow further as consumers were slowly realising its health benefits.
Mr. Padmanabhan pointed out that one of the mandates of the centre was to train farmers in advanced farming methods and to introduce the crop to non-traditional areas. He said the geology and climate of Bidar-Kalaburgi was well suited for the crop. Temperatures ranging from 25 to 35 degrees are optimal for banana. Wind speeds below 40 km per hour will protect the crops from falling.
Mr. Padmanabhan said that Lok Sabha member Bhagwant Khuba initiated the interaction process by writing a letter to the ICAR and the banana research institute. “The MP wanted us to inspect the area to see if banana could be grown here and to train farmers if possible,” he said.
V. Kumar, K.J. Jayabhaskaran, and R. Thangavelu were the other members of the team.
Ready market
Suraj Patil, a farmer from Kamalapur, asked farmers to pick banana over sugarcane as the former had a ready market, promised assured yields and “frees you from the clutches of the sugar factories.”
S.S. Baragimath, Deputy Director of Horticulture, said banana farms added upto 2,000 hectares in Bidar district. The area can be increased gradually, once farmers realise the benefits, he said. He pointed out that farmers could double their cultivable area by opting for drip irrigation, and increase productivity by 20-30 per cent. He said banana needed 15-20 litres of water per day per plant, slightly higher than that needed for sugarcane. But bananas had a large market potential as they could be sold anywhere, round the year.
Source: The Hindu