Scientists from the National Research Centre for Banana 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, post-harvest technologies and provide seedlings and other inputs. The farmers will also be exposed to the market for fresh fruits and fruit-based products.
The National Research Centre for Banana will organise demonstrations in the fields of progressive farmers and organise lectures on the College of Horticulture premises here.
As a first step towards this long-time association, a team, led by the centre director B. Padmanabhan, visited the College of Horticulture recently. They interacted with farmers, teachers and students in the college. They inspected facilities such as the post-harvest laboratory, the library, and the farms and green houses on the college premises.
V. Kumar, a scientist, said that Bidar’s climate was apt for horticulture crops and encouraged farmers to try various types of bananas. It is best to start cultivation in a small area and increase it gradually, he said. He asked farmers to study the market and consult experts before taking up any new crop.
R. Thangavelum, another scientist, said that the market for the Kamalapur red banana would grow further as consumers were slowly realising its health benefits.
Dr. 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 that the geology and climate of Bidar and Kalaburagi were well suited for the crop.
Temperatures ranging from 25-35 degrees Celsius are optimal for banana. Wind speeds below 40 kmph will protect the crops from falling, he said. “This is just the beginning, we will keep coming,” he said.
Dr. Padmanabhan said that Bhagwant Khuba, MP, initiated this process by writing 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 and K.J. Jayabhaskaran were the other members of the team.
Suraj Patil, a farmer from Kamalapur, asked farmers to pick banana over sugarcane. “This has a ready-made market, has assured yields and frees you from the clutches of the sugar factories,” he said.
S.S. Baragimath, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, said that banana farms added up to 2,000 hectares in Bidar district. This 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 that banana needed 15-20 litres of water per day per plant that was slightly higher than sugarcane. He said that bananas had a large market potential as they could be sold anywhere.
College of Horticulture scientists N. Srinivas and Vijalakshmi P. were present.
