Question : Research on Banana Farming

(a) whether the Union Government had given its approval to start research work at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Pusa in Bihar in order to encourage farming of Banana and to increase its production;

(b) if so, the outcome thereof and its impact on production of banana in the State along with the benefits being received by the farmers;

(c) whether the Union Government had also given approval to open Banana Research Centre at Goraul of Vaishali district of Bihar and if so, the present status thereof; and

(d) whether it is true that the average production of banana in Bihar is very low compared to that of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu whereas there is plenty of potential for banana production in the State and it is also the third biggest banana producing State in the country and if so, the details thereof?

(a) Yes, All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on fruits sanctioned by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is already in operation at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar conducting researches on banana cultivation.

(b) Research on banana under this AICRP has resulted in increase in the area of banana cultivation and production in Bihar. Presently Bihar rank ninth position in area-wise cultivation and seventh position in the field of productivity of banana at all India basis.


(c) Banana Research Centre at Goraul in Vaishali district was working earlier under erstwhile Rajendra Agricultural University at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Vaishali. Presently, this centre has started functioning at Goraul, Vaishali from April, 2019. A sophisticated Banana Tissue Culture Laboratory with capacity of 8 lakhs tissue culture plantlets per year has started functioning. The mandate is to provide Tissue Culture disease free plantlets of local varieties of banana like Malbhog, Alpan, Chinea, Kothia and others to the farmers.

(d) Yes, productivity of banana in Bihar is comparatively lower than Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu because, farmers in Bihar still use conventional banana suckers as planting material. Further in other states, G9 variety of banana is cultivated which gives more yield while in Bihar farmers prefer local varieties. The Technology for Panama wilt disease has been developed and released by this University as well as AICRP Fruits.


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