Craze for banana cultivation increased among the farmers of UP
Lucknow| Farmers of Uttar Pradesh are liking banana cultivation much. Banana cultivation is done in Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Basti, Maharajganj, Ayodhya, Gonda, Bahraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Pratapgarh, Amethi, Kaushambi, Sitapur and Lakhimpur districts of Purvanchal, Awadh etc. areas of the state. A grant of about Rs 31 thousand is given per hectare of banana cultivation by the Yogi government. The craze of farmers has increased towards cash crops like bananas due to the distribution of agricultural equipment available on subsidy in a transparent manner and the relatively effective drip and sprinkler of irrigation and grants received on solar pumps.
Traditionally banana is a crop of South India. But, a few decades ago, when its cultivation started in Bhusaval and some surrounding areas of Maharashtra, Bhusaval and banana became synonymous with each other. Within no time, Bhusaval’s green bark banana became popular in the markets of entire North India. About two decades ago, banana from Navgachia, Bihar almost took the green bark of Bhusaval out of the market. Farmers of Kushinagar adjacent to Bihar are cultivating it on a large scale. According to data from the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture Rahmankheda, Lucknow, about 35 million metric tons of bananas are produced across India. The area under banana crop in the country is about 9,61,000 hectares.
Bananas are being cultivated in about 70,000 hectares of area in Uttar Pradesh. The total production is 3.172 lakh metric tons and the yield per hectare is 45.73 metric tons. Banana is very important not only economically but also religiously and nutritionally. No religious ritual is complete without a banana and its leaves.
Apart from daily breakfast, banana is also eaten during fasting. A lot of co-products have started being made from raw, ripe banana fruits and fiber coming out of the stem. The availability of seasonal fruits in the market lasts for a few months of the season, but banana is one of the few fruits which is available almost throughout the year. Most fruits require washing and cutting to eat, but bananas can be peeled and eaten without any problems.
According to Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture Director T. Damodaran, banana is also very important from nutritional point of view. Not only does it contain plenty of potassium, it is also a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin B-6, among other nutrients. Potassium is important for heart health, especially blood pressure management. Potassium-rich diets may be helpful in managing blood pressure and reducing the risk of high blood pressure. It can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 27 percent.
According to Prabhat Kumar Shukla, Principal Scientist of Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture, Vitamin B-6 obtained from banana is easily absorbed in the body. A medium-sized banana can provide about a quarter of daily vitamin B-6 needs. This vitamin is essential for the production of red blood cells, metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It turns them into energy, removes unwanted chemicals from the liver and kidneys, and maintains a healthy nervous system.
