Incubation centre, hostel for trainees inaugurated at National Research Centre for Banana in Tiruchi

A Common Incubation Centre and a Trainees’ Hostel were inaugurated at the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) at Thayanur near Tiruchi on Monday

A Common Incubation Centre and a Trainees’ Hostel were inaugurated at the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) at Thayanur near Tiruchi on Monday.

The facilities were inaugurated by the Deputy Director-General (Horticulture Sciences), India Council of Agricultural Research, Sanjay Kumar Singh, during the National Farmers Day celebrations at NRCB.

The incubation centre, to support agriculture-based business ventures, has been established at a cost of ₹2.50 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME). The hostel has been established at a cost of ₹1.75 crore.

Mr. Singh launched an e-commerce website and inaugurated the International Society for Banana and Plantains.

Mr. Singh called upon farmers to register banana varieties under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA). While India boasts eight GI (Geographical Indication) varieties of bananas, their potential remains underutilised, he said.

Emphasising the importance of banana research and development, he said that making available quality planting material to farmers was vital. He commended NRCB for promoting value-added products and export protocols.

R. Selvarajan, Director, NRCB, underscored the importance of efficient use of inputs and advocated automation and use of sensor-based irrigation systems to boost banana production. He called upon farmers to make use of the incubation centre for taking up small business initiatives such as producing banana stem juice and extracting banana fibre.