The Centre for Plant Tissue Production of Banana set up by Kuvempu University to serve the needs of local farmers has remained defunct for the last four years due to a lack of funds. The university has sought financial support from the State government to restart its activities.
The Department of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Biotechnology of the university set up the centre to provide healthy, disease-free banana plantlets for farmers at subsidised prices. Hundreds of farmers obtained plantlets from the university and cultivated them. When the private sellers were offering plantlets at prices varying from ₹18 to ₹23 per plantlet, the university sold each plantlet at ₹8.
Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa was among those who benefited from the centre. In a meeting with the officers of the university on Tuesday, he said he had purchased plantlets and cultivated them on his farm and did earn well. “I had purchased a few thousand plantlets from the centre. I am glad the university served the needs of the local farmers. It is sad that the centre is not working now,” he said.
H.S. Santosh Kumar, Chairman of the Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, in his brief presentation on the centre, said the centre had not been functioning since 2020. “We need financial support of ₹10 lakh per year. If we get ₹50 lakh, the centre can relaunch its activities and serve the needs of local farmers,” he said.
The university submitted a proposal to the Minister seeking funds for the centre. “We will be happy to take up research activities and provide disease-free plantlets. The university has submitted a proposal for funds,” said Vice Chancellor Sharath Ananthamurthy.
