Banana output triples in Indian state since 2004 through tissue culture farming

Bihar’s banana farming sector has seen major transformation over the last 20 years, with scientific techniques driving record yields. One key contributor is tissue culture farming, now widely adopted by banana growers across the state.

According to local media, between 2004–05 and 2022–23, Bihar’s banana production rose by 261%, from 545,000 metric tons to nearly 2 million metric tons. This growth is not only due to expanded cultivation — up from 27,200 to 42,900 hectares — but also a sharp rise in productivity, which more than doubled from 20 to 45 metric tons per hectare.

Bihar, an agrarian state in eastern India with a large farming population, has supported this shift through the Phal Vikas Yojana, a state-level horticulture development scheme. The programme offers a 50% subsidy — approximately US$300 per hectare — for tissue culture planting. In the 2024–25 cycle alone, more than 3,600 farmers received this financial support.

Officials credit the success to high-yield, disease-resistant varieties such as G-9, Malbhog, and Chinia, produced through tissue culture. The lab-based method allows farmers to cultivate uniform, healthy plants with lower risk of crop loss.

The results go beyond yields. Authorities say the increase in production has improved farmer income and supported local economies, making banana cultivation a strategic crop in Bihar’s agricultural planning.

source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

photo: krishibazaar.in