A civil engineer from Maharashtra has turned to farming and made around Rs 35 lakh from a four-acre red banana farm. Abhijeet Patil, from Washimbe village, decided to enter the agricultural field in 2015 after completing his civil engineering degree from DY Patil College in Pune. When many of his classmates chose conventional engineering jobs, Patil decided to take up farming.
In December 2020, Patil started growing red bananas on the land. Red bananas are not as common as the regular yellow variety. But they can get a better price in the market.
Patil started harvesting the crop in January 2022. He also worked on finding good buyers for his produce. His red bananas were sold through major retail outlets, including Reliance and Tata outlets, in cities such as Pune, Mumbai and Delhi.
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His four-acre farm produced around 60 tonnes of red bananas. His business earned around Rs 35 lakh after expenses. Red bananas can be sold for around Rs 60- 90 per kg, depending on quality and market conditions.
What type of soil do red bananas need?
Bananas grow best in deep, fertile and loamy soil. The soil should have good drainage and should be able to hold enough moisture for the plants. It should not remain waterlogged. A soil pH of around 6 to 7.5 is considered suitable.
Soil rich in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is good for healthy banana growth. Avoid very sandy, heavy clay, saline, and poorly drained soils.
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Why are red bananas considered healthy?
Red bananas have a red or maroon skin, taste a little sweeter than regular bananas and have a soft, creamy texture when ripe.
They contain several nutrients that the body needs, including fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and natural plant compounds that act as antioxidants. They are good for digestion, better heart health, a quick source of energy and support immunity.
How can you eat red bananas?
You can eat them directly as a snack, add them to oats or cereal, mix them with curd or yoghurt, make a smoothie, add them to fruit chaat, use them in pancakes, muffins, banana bread, or blend frozen red bananas to make a simple dessert.