Bhopal : A one-day Krishi Unnayan Samvad was organized with the aim of developing the district as a banana export hub. A large number of observers from the district including international agricultural experts, exporters and progressive farmers attended the event, where experts shared their experiences to bring the banana of the district up to global standards.
International banana expert K. B. Patil told the farmers that just as children are handled, the same way banana fruit care is necessary during packing. There is now a demand for spotless and fresh bananas in the international market. To promote banana exports, it is now necessary to leave the traditional methods and focus on modern fruit care and scientific packaging. Special emphasis should be given on quality for export and competitiveness in the international market. Because first the banana is seen with the eyes, then it is eaten. Because now gone is the time when fruit sellers used to sell bananas saying that take it sir, it is a banana with a splash, but in reality it is not the ripening process but the beginning of the process of rotting.
Explaining the importance of pack houses, Patil said that bananas should be packed in pack houses instead of in the fields so that they remain fresh for a long time. He said that he gave detailed information on the challenges, possibilities and solutions related to banana production from the point of view of farmers and industry. Banana is being cultivated in about 3,600 hectares in the district, whose productivity is 850 quintals per hectare. The farmers here have adopted models to overcome climate change. Farmers will have to make all-round efforts by understanding the benefits of tissue culture and the challenges of the industry.
Banana export expert Amol Mahajan said that India produces 26 percent of the world’s bananas, but in terms of exports we are currently at 9th place. Based on geographical location, it is easier and less time consuming to transport goods from India to Middle East countries as compared to countries like Philippines and Ecuador. There is a very good opportunity in the field of export. Positive results can be achieved if efforts are made for new opportunities in export and trade through pack house, cold storage, fruit service, transport, vendors and material supply. Besides, emphasis was also laid on increasing participation of women in packing work. Information about chilli export was given by Abhishek Patidar of Khargone. He also shared his views regarding market chain, agricultural costs, organic and natural farming.
In the Krishi Samvad programme, farmers were given guidance in the field of agriculture by experts in the agricultural sector. In this sequence, on tissue culture technology by international banana expert KB Patil of Jain Irrigation Jalgaon, agronomist Azhar Zaidi, Dr. Sudhir Bhongle of Jain Krishi Tirtha Jalgaon, banana export by Mumbai and Burhanpur banana exporter Amol Mahajan, banana export by Abhishek Patidar of Khargone, scientist Dr. Mahendra Singh, retired scientist Dr. WhyK Jain, Award to Banana Former of India by Santosh Lacheta. Lectures on various subjects were given by Bharat Patidar, Balram Jat and agricultural experts, progressive farmers of the district, on production technology and agriculture.
During the program, an exhibition of modern agricultural equipment and improved seeds was organized by the Department of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry. Certificates of grant assistance for agricultural equipment were also distributed to eligible farmers.
In the program, in the presence of international experts including Lok Sabha MP Gajendra Singh Patel, District Panchayat President Balwant Singh Patel, former Cabinet Minister Prem Singh Patel, Collector Jayati Singh, strategies for modern farming and connecting with the global market were explained to the farmers.
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