CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) Mysuru is now working on creating a robust food value chain, which would be beneficial to the banana processing industry. The move was driven by the need to mitigate hardships of farmers in Karnataka, who were forced to sell plantains for a meagre Rs 2 per kg in December 2015.
In this regard, the institute has a range of technologies available for making banana-based products which include banana nectar, ready-to-serve (RTS) beverages, banana bar and so on.
Meanwhile, a workshop held at the CFTRI campus brought together growers, processors and market players in banana processing. A model referred to as FRIG (Farmers, Government, R&D and Industry) for helping farmers was unveiled by Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, director, CSIR-CFTRI, during the workshop. Demonstration on value-added products from banana was also arranged on the occasion. Some quantity of RTS beverage was made from the pulp and was made available through the CFTRI canteen for sale to staff and students of the institute.
The students of Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), as part of their project studies, initiated interactions with farmers of Chamarajanagar district.
Accordingly, around 2 tonne 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.
Farmer groups, buyers and export houses along with officials from women & child development department attended the meet and sharing their views on formulating a sustainable framework for a better future for banana farmers.
Interaction with women & child development department was a major step and they agreed to buy banana bars for distribution as a food supplement to Anganwadi children. 25 g/day of the bar can provide approximately 90 kcal energy along with other micronutrients for price of Rs 4.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Rajasekharan stated that the institute would be releasing a new plant variety which had the potential to protect banana crop from spoilage. The plant can be grown as an intercrop along with other plantations.
The institute asserted to work for establishing a semi-processing unit through farmers cooperatives with support from government and other agencies, transfer of technology free-of-cost to such agri-enterprises, and training and creating a network amongst them for ensuring proper returns to growers.
