Kamalapur Red Banana

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Kamalapur Red Banana is a special variety grown only in the Kamalapur valley and nearby areas in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, India. It is protected as a Geographical Indication (GI) product under the GI Act of 1999, and is marketed as a premium fruit because of higher farming inputs such as compost, water, and labor. The fruit has a red rind and creamy pulp with a pleasant taste. It is rich in calories and contains vitamins C and B6.

Growing area and conditions
About 100 hectares (250 acres) of Kamalapur Red Banana are cultivated in Kamalapur and surrounding villages like Rajanal and Navanihal. It is grown on hill slopes and cannot be raised on plain land. The area receives roughly 777 mm of rainfall annually. The soil is red loamy/clay soil known locally as halubilapu, which is shallow, well-draining, and slightly calcareous with some organic carbon and low alkalinity.

Plant size and appearance
The plants reach about 22–25 feet tall, with a trunk circumference of 3–3.2 feet. Leaves are oblong, greenish-yellow, and long. Flowers and fruit set take place around 10–11 months after planting, with a total time to harvest of about 18 months.

Yields and harvesting
A single tree yields about 15–20 kg, translating to roughly 11 tons per acre. The fruit skin is a moderate red, while the pulp is cream-colored and tastes good. The crop is largely free from pests.

Cultivation practices
Banana plants are grown in 50 cm square pits, 50 cm deep, filled with a thin layer of ash followed by compost, neem leaves, topsoil, and organic manure. Planting is typically done after about two weeks. Spacing is about 7 feet between plants. A newer method from Israel, adopted in India by NCRB, uses a triangular planting pattern to fit about 1,710 plants per acre (up from 1,210), increasing yield by around 20 tons per acre. Planting occurs in August–September, with suckers dipped in cow dung water overnight to prevent disease. Desuckering is done every 45 days. From planting to harvest, the cycle is about 18 months.

Post-harvest and quality
There are no specific post-harvest techniques for long-term preservation; bunches are kept in airtight chambers with incense to help ripen the fruit. Tests by CFTRI show strong nutritional value, including calcium, iron, potassium, and fiber, along with high calories and vitamins C and B6. Total Soluble Solids (TSS) are 20–22 Brix.

Standards and support
Quality standards are overseen by the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. The Horticulture department supports farmers to expand cultivation with subsidized certified seeds and other incentives. Genetic engineering is not allowed for this GI-protected variety and it is considered the exclusive property of the Kamalapur farming community.