Red Banana
A high-value niche variety with red-skinned fruit, fetching a premium where it grows well.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Banana
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 16–18 months
- Expected yield
- Medium
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate
- Release
- A traditional AAA-genome dessert cultivar known regionally as Chenkadali, Chandrabale, Lalkela and Sevvazhai — not an ICAR-bred release; propagated from suckers or tissue culture, not true seed
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Red Banana is an AAA-genome dessert cultivar known regionally as Chandrabale, Lalkela, Chenkadali and Sevvazhai, and grown mainly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala with further cultivation in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and pockets of western and central India. A TNAU banana variety page places core production in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts and Kerala, records an 18-month crop duration, a 20–25 kg bunch with over 100 fruits under good management, and a tall, sturdy plant with a deep-red pseudostem and petiole. The fruit has a thick, leathery, orange-to-red peel and a sweet, mealy, orange-yellow, carotenoid-rich pulp with a distinct aroma. Those attributes make it the most expensive banana variety by weight in Indian markets, valued for direct eating as well as juice, jam and sweets. On disease, TNAU's own pages disagree: it calls the variety 'highly susceptible to bunchy top, fusarium wilt and nematodes' in one section but 'fairly tolerant to wilt disease' in another. A peer-reviewed geographical study of Fusarium wilt across India supports the tolerant reading specifically for Foc race 1. It found no Fusarium-wilt symptoms due to Foc race 1 in Red Banana surveyed across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. That is evidence about race 1 only, not about TR4 or other diseases such as bunchy top virus and nematodes, where TNAU's 'highly susceptible' description still applies.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Red Banana if you can hold a field for 16–18 months and reach a market that pays for it. That is the longest cycle of the bananas here, against 11–12 months for Grand Naine. In return it fetches the highest per-kg price of any commercially grown Indian banana, because of its carotenoid-rich orange-yellow pulp, thick red peel and distinct aroma. It sells for juice, jam and sweets as well as fresh. A good bunch of 20–25 kg with over 100 fruits is heavier than Rasthali's 15–20 kg or Nendran's 12–15, but short of Robusta's 25–30. The plant is tall with a deep-red pseudostem, and it is grown mainly in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts and Kerala. On disease, read it carefully: surveys found no Foc race 1 wilt in it, but the same university that describes the variety also calls it highly susceptible to bunchy top virus and nematodes, so it answers Panama wilt only. Choose Nendran if wilt is your main worry, or Grand Naine for a shorter, faster cycle.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJanuary–February or November–December on garden land. TNAU also lists Red Banana among the varieties grown in the hills, where the planting season shifts to April–May or June–August depending on the range
- Sowing methodPlant disease-free sword suckers of 1.5–2.0 kg, corm pared and pseudostem cut 20 cm above it, either shade-dried for 24 hours or treated with 40 g carbofuran 3G against nematodes
- IrrigationWater at planting, again on the fourth day, then weekly on garden land and every 10–15 days on wet land. Irrigate well after each manure application
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Commands the highest per-kg price of any commercially grown Indian banana variety, per a trade profile, on the strength of its carotenoid-rich pulp and distinct flavour and aroma
- Stood up to Fusarium wilt race 1 in field surveys across Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where Poovan and Rasthali suffer — against that race only
- Valued for a wide range of uses beyond fresh eating (juice, jam, sweets) and for reputed medicinal/nutritional value
Things to consider
- The disease picture is mixed. A peer-reviewed study found no Fusarium-wilt (Foc race 1) infection in Red Banana surveyed across Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which shows real tolerance to that race. But TNAU also calls it 'highly susceptible to bunchy top, fusarium wilt and nematodes' in one section, and 'fairly tolerant to wilt disease' in another. Read together, it is likely tolerant to Foc race 1, but still at real risk from bunchy top virus, nematodes and possibly other Foc strains (TR4 was not tested in the surveyed regions). So "Moderate" is a fair summary: do not assume blanket resistance or blanket susceptibility.
- Reported crop duration runs 16–18 months; TNAU gives 18 months.
- Red Banana is grown mainly in Tamil Nadu and also in Kerala. Other listings add Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and parts of western and central India.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Tamil Nadu
An 18-month crop: what the long cycle costs you
Red Banana commands the highest per-kg price of any commercially grown Indian banana, and the reason it is not everywhere is the other half of the arithmetic: a TNAU variety page records an 18-month crop duration. The land, the labour and any borrowed money all stay committed for a year and a half before the bunch is cut.
Count that before planting. Work out the cost of 18 months of irrigation, nutrition and upkeep against the price you have actually been offered for red banana locally, not the price you have heard of from another district. Spread the risk by planting part of the area, and keep an eye on the two problems TNAU flags — bunchy top virus and nematodes — because a plant lost at month fourteen costs you the entire cycle. Its tolerance to Fusarium wilt race 1 in field surveys is a real advantage over Poovan and Rasthali, but it is not cover against those two.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This crop is raised from suckers taken off the mother plant, so you can multiply it yourself. Pick sturdy suckers of even size from healthy, well-yielding clumps, and never from one that looked diseased or stunted — the new plant inherits whatever the mother had. For a clean start, take planting material from a registered nursery or a government farm.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Banana variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarf Cavendish (Basrai) | Windy fields and a nearby market, on the most familiar banana of all | 12–14 months | High | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
| Grand Naine (G9) | Uniform export and retail-grade bunches, away from TR4 districts | 11–12 months, planting to harvest | 483–503 q/ha in Bihar KVK demonstrations (420–431 on local practice) | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh |
| Nendran | Kerala's chips and cooking trade, and wilt-sick soil | 9–12 months, planting to harvest, by ecotype | No institute per-hectare figure found; bunches 12–15 kg | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Poovan | A sour-sweet dessert banana for the Tamil Nadu fresh market, on clean land | 11–14 months (TNAU) | 400–500 q/ha a year (TNAU) | Tamil Nadu, Kerala |
| Rasthali | A premium Silk-type dessert banana, for a farmer who can watch the crop closely | 12–15 months | Medium | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar |
| Red Bananathis page | The highest-priced banana, for a grower who can wait 16–18 months | 16–18 months | Medium | Tamil Nadu |
| Robusta | Heavy Cavendish bunches for the south Indian fresh market | 12–13 months | High | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Banana is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Banana plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Banana variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Banana into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Banana rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Banana seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Banana resistant to Fusarium wilt?
Partly. A peer-reviewed geographical survey found no Foc race-1 wilt symptoms in Red Banana across surveyed sites in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, so it holds against that race — but a TNAU source calls the same variety highly susceptible to bunchy top virus and nematodes, and doesn't rule out other Foc strains such as TR4. Treat it as tolerant to race-1 wilt specifically, not disease-proof.
Why is Red Banana more expensive than other bananas?
It commands the highest per-kg price of any commercially grown Indian banana variety, attributed to its carotenoid-rich orange-yellow pulp, distinct aroma and reputed medicinal value, on top of the extra crop-cycle time it takes to grow (16–18 months versus 12–14 for a standard Cavendish type).
What other names is Red Banana known by?
Chandrabale, Lalkela, Chenkadali and Sevvazhai are all regional names for this same AAA-genome cultivar.
How long does Red Banana take to mature?
About 16–18 months. Two sources give 16–18 months and 18 months respectively.
What can Red Banana fruit be used for besides fresh eating?
It's specifically noted as well suited to juice, jam and sweet-making, in addition to being eaten fresh — a versatility that adds to its premium market value.
Is the premium price worth an 18-month crop?
Work it out per month, not per bunch. Red Banana takes 16–18 months against 11–12 for Grand Naine, so a 20–25 kg bunch at the top price has to beat a faster cycle plus the extra months of irrigation, weeding and risk. Where a steady premium buyer exists it usually does; on a speculative sale it often does not.
Is Red Banana safe from Panama wilt?
Against race 1, the evidence is good: a survey across Tamil Nadu and Kerala found no race 1 symptoms in it, and it is named with Nendran as unaffected during the current TR4 outbreak. But TR4 was not tested where it was surveyed, and TNAU separately calls it highly susceptible to bunchy top and nematodes, so plant clean material and keep watching.
What should I do about bunchy top and nematodes?
Start with planting material: use certified, virus-screened plants, never suckers from a plot with stunted, bunched crowns. Then control the banana aphid that spreads bunchy top, uproot and destroy affected plants at once, and keep nematodes down with clean soil, organic matter and rotation before planting.
What do I do with the land through a 16–18 month Red Banana crop?
Plan the cash flow first. In the time Red Banana takes one bunch, a Cavendish field at 11–12 months has finished and is well into the next cycle. A short intercrop in the first few months, while the canopy is still open, is worth asking your KVK about for the district you farm in.
Is Red Banana grown outside Tamil Nadu?
Only Tamil Nadu is listed for it. It is a niche, high-priced fruit, so the buyer matters more than the climate: before planting a block elsewhere, find out who in your market actually pays the premium, and start with a small area.
Sourced from: Banana Variety Red Banana (AAA) — Global Agriculture, Season & Varieties — Banana Expert System, TNAU Agritech Portal, Geographical Distribution, Host Range and Genetic Diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Causing Fusarium Wilt of Banana in India — PMC, Banana production guide, TNAU Agritech Portal: planting season for garden land and hills, sucker selection and treatment, irrigation schedule. editorial policy.