UP govt to organise 'banana festival' in Kushinagar

Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 23 : Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is organising a 'Banana Festival' in Kushinagar from March 22 to 25, which has witnessed the participation of at least 35 farmers and entrepreneurs.
According to a release, the state government had in 2018 organised the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme to promote traditional enterprise. Noting the good cultivation of bananas in Kushinagar, products in the district made from banana fibre were selected in the ODOP scheme.
At least 4,000 farmers are linked to banana cultivation and after inclusion in the ODOP scheme, around 500 people are employed in its processing. There are three banana fibre processing units in the district and the construction of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) is also planned.
The products are also aimed at national and international markets. Through the banana festival, organisers are aiming towards using bananas to pave the way for the economic progress of farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in its processing, according to the release.
People arriving at the festival will also see banana wafers, chips and pickles. Clothes, slippers, carpets and all the decorative items made of banana fibres will also be displayed in the event.
According to the release, several stalls displaying banana plants prepared from tissue culture have been set up to motivate farmers for greater productivity.