Lok Sabha Question No. 1031 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: Banana cultivation in Bihar
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Janardan Singh Sigriwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1031

TO BE ANSWERED ON 8 Th  FEBRUARY, 2022

## BANANA CULTIVATION IN BIHAR

1031. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  had  given  its  approval  to  start  research  work  at  Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Pusa in Bihar in order to encourage farming of Banana and to increase its production;

(b) if so, the details and outcome thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  had  also  given  approval  to  open  Banana  Research Centre at Goraul of Vaishali district of Bihar and if so, the present status thereof;

(d) whether the average production of banana in Bihar is very low compared to that of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and if so, the details and reasons therefor; and

(e)  the  other  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  its  production keeping in view there is plenty of potential for banana production in Bihar?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) Yes Sir. The Research work on Banana is carried out in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture  University  (DRPCAU),  Pusa  through  the  Indian  Council  of Agricultural  Research-All  India  Coordinated  Research  Project  on  Fruits  (ICARAICRPF). Further, the University also encourages research work related to banana farming and by-product utilisation through several University sponsored projects. An Advanced  Research  Centre  on  Wealth  from  Waste  has  been  established  by  the University to facilitate research activities related with by-product utilisation of banana.

(b) The  ICAR-AICRP  on  Fruits  has  adopted  banana  as  a  mandate  crop  in DRPCAU,  Pusa  (the  then  RAU,  Pusa)  since  1987.  The  package  of  practices  for growing bananas under the agroclimatic conditions of Bihar has been standardized and several technologies have been developed and validated for Bihar conditions. A few of the major technologies developed are:

- i. Banana genotypes across and outside India, are conserved and around 20 best performing varieties have been recommended for commercial cultivation by the farmers;

- ii.  For production of low-cost planting materials, the macro-propagation technology has been validated at the centre and has been recommended for adoption;
- iii. The  management of major diseases viz . Fusarium wilt  in  banana  has  been released by ICAR-AICRP on Fruits and the University for the farmers.

(c) Research Centre at Goraul of Vaishali District of Bihar is already funtioning as Banana Research Station under DRPCAU, Pusa.

(d) The  average  productivity  of  banana  in  Bihar  (40.29  tonnes/ha)  is  over  and above the national average of 35 tonnes/ha (2019-20 second advanced estimates of NHB). It is slightly lower than the average productivity of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

This may be due to the following reasons:

- i. Prevalence of disease known as 'Fusarium wilt TR-4' in the banana fields of Katihar and Purnea districts of Bihar;
- ii. Most of the banana growers grow tall cultivars and the average bunch yield in tall cultivar is lesser as compared to the Dwarf Cavendish clones;
- iii. Many of the farmers grow banana as a perennial crop. In the Vaishali area, around  50  years  old  banana  fields  are  existing  and  poorly  managed  fields encourage several diseases and pest infestation;
- iv. Most  of  the  banana  farmers  of  the  state  are  economically  weak  and  they possess smaller size land holding. This does not favour adoption of scientific methods for commercial cultivation.

(e) The ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (ICAR-NRCB), Tiruchirapalli has conducted many training programs on the latest production technology in two to three locations in Bihar to promote banana cultivation and at the same time, to take care against Fusarium wilt disease caused by Foc TR-4. The ICAR-AICRP-Fruits unit of Dr. Rajendra Prasad CAU located at Pusa, Bihar also has taken up many trainings on the latest developments in banana for Bihar farmers. Moreover, the ICAR NRCB has taken up following activities to overcome Foc TR-4 in Bihar:

- i. Identified five different consortia of bioagents for the management of Fusarium wilt disease Tropical Race 4 (TR-4) in Bihar and these are being tested in large scale at Katihar district of Bihar;
- ii. Identified 5 different native Cavendish group of bananas resistant/tolerant to Fusarium wilt disease which are being mass multiplied for the multilocation trial in Bihar;
- iii. Exotic varieties of more than 100 accessions are evaluated against Fusarium wilt disease at Falka block of Katihar district;
- iv. Creation of awareness through mass media, supply of posters, leaflets etc and conducting  meetings  have  been  undertaken  and  these  are  followed  in  the Katihar and Purnea districts which are affected by Fusarium wilt TR-4.

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