Roul, who is also the secretary of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), attended the Silver Jubilee function of National Research Centre for Banana on Friday, where the farmers demanded the establishment of a banana processing unit in Tamil Nadu. 

Despite the state being a major banana producer, the Centre is yet to decide whether the unit has to be established here or in Andhra Pradesh. Top officials have reportedly promised to take the demand before the Food Processing ministry to establish the unit.

Mahadanapuram V Rajaram, president of Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association, said, “Almost 25 years back, we fought for the establishment of NRCB in Tamil Nadu. Now, the farmers would again have to fight for the establishment of the banana processing unit in the state,” Rajaram said. The banana industry in the country makes a contribution of 2.8 per cent (about Rs 50,000 crore annually) to the GDP. Meanwhile, NRCB Director S Uma said, “This silver jubilee year has been selected for making use of the export potential of the banana. This will go hand in hand with the quality production, harvest handling and value addition. Our next target is to enhance the livelihood and income of the farmers.” 

G Ajeethan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Banana Growers Federation secretary said there should be more efforts to decrease the production cost which will increase the farmer’s income. “Biotechnology can make great contributions and therefore, a bio-control lab should be established in NRCB,” he said.

He also pointed out that the absence of an Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority-certified packing unit in the state is a challenge for the exporters here. Meanwhile, Chhabilndra Roul said that necessary action would be taken on these issues.