New Delhi (PTI): Gujarat, one the major banana growing states, has shipped 1,430 tonnes of the fruit to the Middle East in the first three months of this fiscal, becoming only the second state to export banana after Kerala.
"Till now 143 containers have been exported. Each container has about 10 tonnes of G9 banana variety," a Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation official told PTI.
For several years attempts had been made to export banana and only 1-2 containers were transported on trial basis, but this year the endevour finally became successful, he added.
The export of banana was successfully started by Desai Cold Storage with support from the state government, he added.
Gujarat produces about 31.5 lakh tonnes of banana annually.
To encourage horticultural production and its exports, the state government is setting up infrastructural projects like the Centre for Perishable Cargo worth Rs 4.59 crore at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The centre can handle 40 tonnes of cargo per day.
A banana pack house at Jaghadia with two collection centres, built at a cost of Rs 6.41 crore, will help farmers in grading, packing and storing of the fruit.
Another integrated pack house for fruit and vegetables at Naroda is being built at an investment of Rs 7.53 crore with four collecting centres.
Banana is grown in about 16.47 lakh hectares across the country producing about 23 million tonnes of banana.
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Bihar are the major banana producing states.
Banana is a 18-month crop and is produced all year round.
National Horticulture Board is also taking initiatives like providing packaging, storage and transport facilities to encourage exports, which is very limited from the country.
"We have started with farmers body in Kerala and Maharashtra, where we will also provide them with some compensation in case there is any loss due to technology," NHB Managing Director Bijay Kumar said.
India, China, Philippines, Brazil and Equador grow more than 60 per cent banana of the world.
Source : The Hindu