With the increase in its extent of cultivation from 79,360 hectares in 2014-15 to 104,000 hectares by 2019-20, banana export from Andhra Pradesh too has increased exponentially. The export scaled up from 246 tons in 2016-17 to 45,000 tons in 2019-20, and now the target set for the 2020-21 financial year is 75,000 tons.
Enterprising farmers of the state, more so in Anantapur and Kadapa, are adopting modern methods like certified tissue culture plant materials, fruit-care activity and drip integration with fertigation that led to the spurt in quality and quantity of the banana plantations.
In fact, a novel initiative started in 2018 on fruit-care activities through PPP projects with exporters such as INA-Farms, Desai Fruits and Vegetables and Mahindra Agri Solutions, saw a large-scale banana export to UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran. In 2016-17, its export to the Gulf countries began with a modest quantity of 246 tons, which by 2020 (despite the pandemic), rose to 45,000 tons.
Extending logistic and technical support to exporters like identification of banana clusters, the department is also providing post-harvest infrastructure facilities such as mobile pack houses, integrated pack houses, and taking responsibility of issuing phytosanitary certificates.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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