On Friday 12 February, a Nagpur-based company, Merchandise Venture Private Limited, exported a sample container of bananas to Iran. The company states that it is the first ever shipment of this fruit grown in Vidarbha to a foreign destination.
Dharmendra Sharma the company's CEO said this was the sample container, based on which an order of 50 containers is expected. "The bananas were grown as per the international standards and have been sent to a leading fruit vending company in Iran," he said. The name was however not disclosed citing business confidentiality.
"Eventually farmers will be provided free technology to grow bananas of the required standard and Mechandise Venture will either directly purchase the produce or provide support to farmers for independently dealing in the global market," said Sharma.
Soil assessments have shown that the area there is suitable for growing banana, which has so far, not been a prominent crop in the region. The company has its eight acre farm off Wardha Road, and had used the cold storage facility of Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSMB), he said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
