Mysuru :

CSIR- Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysuru, had organised a half-a-day Stakeholders Meet involving the Growers, Processors and Market Players in the Banana Processing Industry recently to create a robust food value chain, which would be beneficial to the processing industry.

There were press reports during December 2015 that farmers were forced to sell banana for a meagre Rs. 2 per kg. In this context, AcSIR students as part of their project studies initiated interactions with farmers of Chamarajanagar district.

Accordingly, around 2 tonnes of fresh banana was procured and processed at the Institute’s Pilot Plant, packed and stored in cold storage. Some of the buyers were brought to the loop for the purchase of banana pulp. Samples were sent to pulp exporters for evaluation of products from their end. And some quantity of the pulp was sold through this route.

New plant variety : Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, stated that the Institute would be releasing a new plant variety which has the potential to protect banana crop from spoilage. The plant can be grown as an inter-crop along with other plantations.

The Institute asserted to work for establishing a semi-processing unit through farmers co-operatives with support from Government and other agencies, transfer of technology free of cost to such agri-enterprises, training and creating a network amongst them for ensuring proper returns to growers.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / May 12th, 2016