VIJAYAWADA: With the increase in its extent of cultivation from 79,360 hectares in 2014-15 to 1.04 lakh hectares by 2019-20, banana export from Andhra Pradesh too hasincreased exponentially. The export scaled up from 246 metric tons in 2016-17 to 45,000 MTs in 2019-20, and now the target set for the 2020-21 financial year is 75,000 MTs.
Horticulture Commissioner Chiranjeev Chowdary says it is the result of the department’s efforts towards value chain development, and in launching novel approaches like fruit-care activities through public-private partnership projects. “We are number one, area-wise as well as production-wise, in the country when it comes to banana.”
Enterprising farmers of the state, more so in Anantapur and Kadapa, are adopting modern methods like certified tissue culture plant materials, fruit-care activity and drip integration with fertigation that led to the spurt in quality and quantity of the banana plantations.
In fact, a novel initiative started in 2018 on fruit-care activities through PPP projects with exporters such as INA-Farms, Desai Fruits and Vegetables and Mahindra Agri Solutions, saw a large-scale banana export to UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran. In 2016-17, its export to the Gulf countries began with a modest quantity of 246 MTs, which by 2020 (despite the pandemic), rose to 45,000 MTs.
On January 30, 2020, the first Kisan Rail was flagged off from Tadipatri in Anantapur district with support of CONCOR. A total 11,000 metric tons were sent to Mumbai, from where the produce was exported to the Gulf countries. As many as 11 rakes, carrying 40 refrigerated containers on each train, were used. The exports have started a bit early and the first rake with 43 refrigerated containers was flagged off from Tadipatri on January 20 and exported 946 metric tons of bananas. The second rake left Tadipatri on January 26. This year, the target of exports from Anantapur itself is 30,000 metric tons.
In addition to the three firms — DESAI, INI-Farms and Constrochem, the horticulture department has tied up with 10 more companies for banana export. “As of today, more than 16,000 metric tonss of the fruit have been exported to the middle-east countries as against 8,200 metric tons in the corresponding period last year. That is, exports are 50 per cent more than last year till now,” Chiranjeev Chowdhary adds.
Extending logistic and technical support to exporters like identification of banana clusters, the department is also providing post-harvest infrastructure facilities such as mobile pack houses, integrated pack houses, and taking responsibility of issuing phytosanitary certificates (an official document required when shipping regulated articles such as plants, plant products or other regulated articles).
Banana exports from AP
Area of cultivation
AP number one area wise as well as production wise in production of bananas in the country
Export to UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran increased