Mysore/Mysuru: A two-day Banana Festival featuring display and sale of over 100 varieties of bananas, began at Nanjaraj Bahadur Choultry in city this morning. The display and sale is open to public from 9.30 am to 9 pm today and tomorrow.

The banana varities include Boodu Baale, Elakki Baale, Madaranga, Nendra, Rasa Baale, Chandra Baale, Finger Baale, Tai Baale, Blue Java, Kamalapura Red Banana, Udagam, Cauvery Baale, Putta Bale, Hu Baale. At the venue, organic rice, plants, cereals and seeds of flowering plants and eatables made using banana products are also on sale.

C.N. Shivaprakash, Managing Director (MD), Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation (KAPPEC), inaugurated the Festival, organised by Sahaja Samrudha, in collaboration with the Keystone Foundation and Using Diversity.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that people, who hardly knew 2-3 varieties of bananas, will be surprised to know that there are over 100-150 varieties. “When we post about any new variety in our groups, people ask us were we can get it. Hence, growers of new varieties of bananas should increase and marketing should be done well,” he said and added that even if we want to export bananas to foreign countries, we should still grow in lakhs of tonnes.

“Usually we can preserve banana only up to a week here but if we use bio-plastic covers, we can preserve it for 10-15 days. KAPPEC provides subsidy up to Rs. 15 lakh for conservation of banana varieties,” he said and urged farmers to visit Bengaluru office and utilise the benefits.

The KAPPEC MD also assured farmers of setting up of stalls in the one acre land of KAPPEC office in Bengaluru and providing them to farmers who wish to sell their produce.

Neurologist Dr. Shushrutha Gowda spoke about the health benefits of bananas which are rich in potassium and said more research should be done on banana varieties.

Krishna Prasad of Sahaja Samrudha said that banana is native to South India and is gaining more popularity than coconut now. “Japan uses banana fibre to manufacture its currency and food made using banana flower as an ingredient have more health benefits. For marriages, banana stems/ stalks are purchased,” Krishna Prasad said adding that hence, banana is a high income produce.

Suttur’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra Head Dr. B.N. Gnanesh, Maleyuru Hadi Jaya, Muhammed Rafi of Kerala’s Keystone Foundation, Seed Conservator B.P. Ravishankar of Kodagu, Organic Kissan Bandi CEO Sumathi and others were present.

Tomorrow (Nov. 9), Kisan Bandi will host children’s art competition at 10.30 am. Children age group of 5-12 can participate and draw the paintings on Banana culture, cultivation and usage; ICAR- JSS Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Suttur, will host a banana cooking contest. Food lovers can make recipes from banana at home bring to the festival at 12 noon. Interested participants can register by calling Mob: 90086-03222.