ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana

The ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (ICAR–NRCB) celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day & Kisan Mela on 21st August 2026, under the theme “Super El Nino: Mitigation in Banana based Cropping System”. The programme was attended by about 1000 farmers. In his presidential address, Dr. R. Selvarajan, Director, ICAR–NRCB, highlighted the release of two new banana varieties at the institute level; Kaveri Thangam and Kaveri Nadan. Kaveri Thangam is a premium-quality variety with unique aroma, high consumer acceptance, and yellow pulp is rich in provitamin A (1,090 µg/100 g fresh pulp), nearly 10 times higher than conventional varieties. Kaveri Nadan, a Pacha Nadan type, is a high-yielding variety with about 100% higher yield. Plants of both varieties have been distributed to 126 farmers in Tamil Nadu and other major banana-growing states. He also highlighted key achievements of ICAR–NRCB, including the collection and conservation of 33 new banana germplasm accessions and five Musa species. He underlined that Integrated Fusarium wilt management is also being implemented at 17 locations in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh and at four locations in Dasanur, Jalgaon, Maharashtra. On banana exports, he noted that an NRCB–APEDA team had inspected facilities in Jalgaon for exporting bananas to Russia. Opportunities will also be explored to export bananas from Tamil Nadu to Russia through Cochin Port. A major development in mechanisation was the development of a central-core stem juice extraction machine, similar to a sugarcane juice extraction machine. This technology could create entrepreneurial opportunities for self-help groups and street vendors by enabling them to extract and sell banana stem juice. In Chief Guest address Dr. K. Balachandra Hebbar, Director, ICAR–CPCRI, Kasaragod, Kerala emphasized that soil, plants, and atmosphere are the three major components of agriculture. While farmers have limited control over atmospheric and climatic conditions, they can manage soil health and the selection of suitable plants and planting materials. He stressed that choosing appropriate crops and planting materials can help reduce production risks. He also recommended intercropping instead of monocropping in perennial crops, as it can create a favourable microclimate within the field and help mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño. Shri E. Aravazhi, Director, Coconut Development Board, Coimbatore; Dr. G. J. Janavi, Dean, HC&RI (Women), TNAU, Tiruchirappalli; and Dr. K. Annadurai, Dean, ADAC&RI, TNAU, Tiruchirappalli, and Dr. M. Govindaraju, Director, Centre for Climate Change Research, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli participated in the event as Guests of Honour. They noted that Super El Niño is a natural climatic phenomenon associated with changes in Pacific Ocean conditions and can result in both floods and droughts. They noted that the southwest monsoon has been deficient during June and July in recent years, with such climatic variations occurring more frequently, sometimes within a 2–3-year interval. They advised farmers to adopt measures such as mulching and the use of weed mats to conserve soil moisture and reduce the impact of climatic variability. To recognize the achievements of various stakeholders, 16 awards were presented, including awards for Best Banana Farmer, Best Banana Conservator, Best Women Entrepreneur, Best Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Best Entrepreneur, Best Banana Exporter, and Best Tissue Culture Production Unit. An appreciation award was also presented to Thiru S. Annadurai, Director, Directorate of Tribal Welfare, Tamil Nadu for his contribution to the welfare of tribal communities. The event attracted more than 1,000 participants, including farmer groups such as Senassanjahtna FPO (Mysuru), CIAE (Coimbatore), and Bharathi Kisan Sangam (Solavanthan). The programme featured panel discussions on “Super El Niño – Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Rice, Banana, Sugarcane and Coconut Cultivation” and “Fusarium Wilt Management in Banana Cultivation,” with active participation from farmers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. More than 32 exhibition stalls were also part of the programme. Dr. V. Kumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR–NRCB, delivered the welcome address, while Dr. C. Karpagam, Principal Scientist, ICAR–NRCB, proposed the vote of thanks.