Basix Krishi Samruddhi Ltd Salt Lake, Kolkata, West Bengal

Based on a pilot survey in Eastern India, Banana was identified as a commercial crop that has a huge potential for cultivation and high demand in local markets. In spite of a huge potentiality for cultivation and demand in local markets, farmers of East India are yet to adopt Banana as a commercial crop, rather it has been cultivated as a kitchen garden crop. Kolkata market could, therefore, supply only 50% of its daily demand. As a result, as of now all Eastern market is supplied with quality banana from South and Western Markets. BASIX Krishi planned to diversify smallholder farmers to banana cultivation so that farmers with their limited land and water can get much better returns per land available. As a first step, the company made tie-ups with companies like KF Bio-tech, Cadila and Technico to introduce banana as an alternate remunerative crops among farmers of the Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) promoted by the company itself. The pilot was a success with banana contributing about 10% to total product value sales. This pilot gave the company good learning and ways to look forward during the next FYs. Next year, the company introduced banana from Jain irrigation (the pioneer in G9-TC banana in India) and also started a secondary hardening (SH) unit of 1 lakh plants in Gaya with PH plants from Technico (ITC). The experience both with Jain and SH was heartening. Banana being a new crop to introduce as commercial crop, the company focused on training, Package of Practices (POP) and Agri kit for the farmers taking more than 120-150 plants (atleast in 10 decimals). BASIX Krishi also developed tie-ups with Kevender Agro (a company being the largest exporter of G-9 Banana in India) for Pick and Serve. Through its secondary hardening (SH) unit and through tie-up with other popular companies, BASIX Krishi is supplying tissue cultured banana sapling of G9 variety. The company is slowly spreading the practice of banana cultivation across the Eastern India through the channels of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (BRLPS/ JEEViKA), BASIX’s promoted FPOs and some cooperative societies of WB. Currently these farmers are earning Rs, 30,000/- per 10 decimal/ year by cultivating it in commercial way. Tissue Culture Tissue culture is the modern technology that is applied for mass production of superior grade planting material. The tissue culture plants have following advantages: • High yielding progenies of true-to type. • Disease free at the time of planting and the same conditions can be maintained by proper crop management. • Tissue culture vigor in the plantlets manifests better growth and performance in the field. • Availability of tissue culture plantlets are not constrained by seasonal variation • Uniform maturity for the harvest of the fruits • Ratoon crop is a unique feature of Tissue culture plants • Market oriented planting of Tissue culture Banana plants gives better price. Saving of 3 – 4 months of cultivation period in the field thus, able to give three crops in duration of 30 months. Grand Nain (G-9) variety of Banana • It is a high yielding Cavendish variety introduced to India from Israel • The Plant grows to a height of 6.5 to 7.5 Feet • The bunches can be harvested within eleven to twelve months from the date of planting the tissue culture plants • High yield with each bunch with 175 to 225 number of fruits weight of average 30 Kg. • The fruits of Grand Nain Banana variety are delicious to eat and keeping quality of the fruit is high compared to our native varieties. • Long cylindrical fruits with less curvature • Good keeping quality. • Attractive yellowish green color at maturity • Internationally acceptable both as fresh fruit and in processed form (pulp to peel ratio is more and highly suitable for processing)

Indian potato production has plateau at 26 lakh MT in the last few years after having seen tremendous growth since late 1970s. While current demand is being met, the future prospect seems bleak especially with respect to the surge in the demand of processing potatoes. The challenge is not only to increase the average productivity of the potato to the world average of 40 MT per acre from current 20 MT but also to promote efficient post-harvest management practices including, efficient cold storages, faster transport logistics, market linkages for assured and timely sales by the producers. While the consumption of processed potato products is anticipated to increase, at present, the processing sector is largely comprised of various kinds of dehydrated potato products, starch etc. Potato can be processed into mouth-watering value-added fried and non-fried food products having longer shelf-life. The market for such processed products is currently booming in India. The demand for potato chips, French fries, flakes etc. is increasing day by day. To meet the burgeoning demand, potato processing is emerging as a fast growing industry with increasing more entrepreneurship. The existing potato traders are increasing the capacity of their processing units. Constraints faced by small & marginal farmers: • Potato cultivation needs high investment and majority of the farmers are unable to follow the standard package and practices • No crop insurance available for Potato • Seed comprises around 30-50% of cost. Local seed production is limited. Quality (TL) seed is not available in market. Individual farmers are forced to pay higher input cost and also sometimes get spurious fertilizers and pesticides.

ish output in India doubled between 1990 and 2010 (FAO, 2011) with a growth rate 56.32 % (2012-13) from 35.26% (2004-05). But India produces 26,276 million fry against the demand of 35,100 million fry thus, deficit by 8,824 million (NFDB, 2011). Inland fishery constitutes a ‘safety net’ for millions of rural poor people by providing an essential source of food and supplemental income. Though there is a good opportunity for income of rural people through this sector, unfortunately, as compared to the developments in agriculture and livestock/poultry, fish farming still continues to be suffering by a number of constraints, which are the main reasons for the low levels of production from these water bodies in the country. Constraints faced by small & marginal farmers: Practice of low levels of technology, resulting in poor productivity and production. The ponds and tanks which are yet to receive inputs from FFDAs or adopt scientific practices are yielding much lesser- on an average 1,000 kg per/ha/yr. Lack of capital Redundant extension services Lack of improved technologies Shortage of vital inputs such as quality seed and cost-effective and efficient feed Poor post-harvest infrastructure