A protocol has been developed for exporting the “nendran” variety of bananas to European countries.
The public sector Nadukkara Pack House at Muvattupuzha aims to export at least 2,000 tonnes of nendran bananas each year.
These bananas are traditionally exported to the Gulf countries. The European Union presents huge market opportunities for Indian banana producers and exporters owing to the shortage of supply from its traditional suppliers like Latin American countries.
It is hoped that the success of the project will pave the way for new market prospects, by integrating Kerala in the global value chain and thereby ensuring farmers better and consistent prices. The reduced logistics cost though the sea route, which is 1/7th of the cost of air transportation, is expected to augment the income of farmers by 20%.
Thus, the development of sea protocol was a pre-requisite to meet this increasing demand. And the State, in a first of its kind experiment, set up a Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures ( POPP) mode for the same.
The venture commenced in May 2020 and farmers were selected in Thrissur district. Export-oriented package of practices developed by National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy, the Technical Partner was disseminated to farmers through training.
In the latest export, around 10 tonnes of banana are intended to be shipped to London.
The bunches that will be harvested on February 27 will be transported to the APEDA Certified Pack House at Nadukkara, Muvattupuzha, while ensuring meticulous post-harvest handling measures. After the packhouse treatments, involving cleaning, sorting and grading of bunches the produce will be packed in cartons, pre-cooled and flagged off from the Pack House on March 5. It will be shipped after necessary port clearance to London Gateway Port.
The produce is expected to be launched through wholesalers as well as through branded retail chains in South U.K. and Scotland.
