A stakeholders’ meeting on Strengthening Banana Value Chain and Export Promotion was held at ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Tiruchirappalli. A wholesome group of nearly 150 participants inclusive of farmers, traders, exporters, entrepreneurs, members from various KVS’s, FPO’s and other aspiring banana growers took part in the event. The Chief Guest, Prof. Pawan Kumar Singh, Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli, lauded NRCB’s global achievements and reflected on banana’s cultural and spiritual significance. He reminiscence his association with banana fruit since childhood days and shared his nostalgic memories about his association with banana. He also narrated the cultural and spiritual link banana with vedic scripts and epics. He said that everyone should know everybody’s role in the chain. He stressed the need of adopting Global-GAP for better export opportunities. Dr. R. Selvarajan, Director, ICAR-NRCB, in his presidential address highlighted India’s global leadership in banana production and tissue culture technology, producing 38 million tonnes from less than one million hectares. In India among the fruits banana stands first in export surpassing grapes. Our country exports 2% of its production earning 3300 crores per annum. He pointed out the need to promote India’s diverse GI-tagged bananas in addition to the globally dominant Grand Naine variety, citing successful examples such as Red Banana exports to Europe. He also underlined the importance of value addition and innovative products to enhance farmers’ income and strengthen India’s position in global trade. Guest of Honour, Dr. C. Vanniarajan, Dean, ADAC&RI, Tiruchirappalli, spoke about developing varieties suited for problematic soils, while Dr. K. Mahendran, Professor & Head (ARM), TNAU, Coimbatore, emphasised that value chains demand consumer-centric approaches with certification and branding. Dr. B. Punnam Kumar, Joint DGFT, Chennai, explained export procedures, highlighting the ease of obtaining an IEC code and stressing compliance with government regulations. Panel discussions involving representatives from NRCB, NABARD, DIC, NIFTEM-Tanjore, TNAU, DGFT and CIPMC centred on expanding India’s share in global banana exports. Members stressed the need for quick-freezing facilities, simplified single-window export systems, and support for the fibre industry to create a sustainable circular economy. They also discussed value-added prospects such as banana stem juice, flour, sugar, xylitol, pectin, and vegan leather, noting NRCB’s success in nurturing over 200 entrepreneurs. The panellists also emphasized for including banana based value added products in government mid-day meal schemes. Participants were also given awareness about various subsidy schemes for end-to end business avenues of starting from planting to retailing. Dr. K.N. Shiva, Principal Scientist, NRCB welcomed the gathering and vote of thanks proposed by Dr. P. Suresh Kumar. Participants from Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Tanjore, Ariyalur, and Coimbatore districts actively engaged in the deliberations and expressed that the meeting offered valuable insights into enhancing banana marketing and exports.