In Pakistan, the Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) has announced that it has approved a Rs1.45m grant to research new banana varieties through the establishment of a new plant tissue culture facility in Tando Allahyar, Sindh.
In addition to the research element, the funding will go towards providing disease-free and good quality banana plants to farming communities in Sindh, an ASF official told The International News.
During a panel meeting of the ASF, where the decision to provide funding was made, ASF CEO Khalid Khan has said that the province had ideal climatic and soil conditions to grow other banana varieties such as Grant Nain and William, the official said.
The new facility is expected to boost commercial production in the region by up to 25 per cent, according to the publication.
