Policies Drive Banana Production; Exports Soar Tenfold In A Decade

ENA Sectors 2024-12-31 14:25:45 Lucknow, Dec 31 (KNN) India's banana exports have witnessed a remarkable tenfold increase over the past decade, according to a recent report released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The surge aligns with various state and central government initiatives to boost cultivation and export of this fruit. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has taken significant steps to promote banana cultivation, particularly by designating it as the One District One Product (ODOP) for Kushinagar. The state government provides farmers with a subsidy of approximately Rs 38,000 per hectare, encouraging them to cultivate high-quality bananas that meet market demands. The cultivation has seen substantial growth across UP's Purvanchal and Awadh regions, with districts including Kushinagar, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, and Barabanki emerging as major banana-producing areas. Over the past fifteen years, farmers have expanded their cultivation area while adopting superior varieties and advanced farming techniques, resulting in improved yield and quality. The success of these initiatives is evident in the growing demand for UP's bananas, which now reach markets across major Indian cities and states including Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, and Jammu, as well as neighboring Nepal. The state government has also focused on value addition, training farmers in banana processing to produce items such as fruit-based products, fiber, and juice from the stem. To enhance market exposure, farmers from Kushinagar have participated in trade shows, including a recent exhibition in Noida. The central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed organising a seller-buyer meet in Mumbai to further support banana farmers. Additionally, recognising the fruit's export potential, bananas have been included in a pilot project aimed at cost-effective export of select fruits via sea routes, demonstrating the government's commitment to expanding international market opportunities for Indian banana producers. (KNN Bureau) 40445 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/policies-drive-banana-production-exports-soar-tenfold-in-a-decade 2024-12-31 14:25:45 knnindia.co.in Policies Drive Banana Production; Exports Soar Tenfold In A Decade