Chennai, Mar 26 (IANS): The Tiruchirappalli based ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) is hopeful that the shipment of 10 ton of Nendran banana sent by sea from Kerala reaches UK safely soon and exporters start the sea route, said a top official.

"We had developed special protocol for sending bananas by sea. One consignment of bananas reached Dubai. Then the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council - Keralam had requested us to develop the protocol for Nendran banana variety for shipment to UK," S.Uma, Director, NRCB told IANS.

Kerala is famous for the Nendran banana variety and it is used for making chips and others.

She said freight cost of banana can be brought down drastically if the export consignment is sent by a ship instead of air lifting the same.

Uma said the protocol followed for the sea shipment includes scientific preharvest bunch care management like micronutrients, growth regulators, male flower removal, covering the bunch and others.

According to her, airlifted bananas may not be of uniform maturity and may not match with international grading standards.

The Nendran banana sent to the UK is for the Indian expats there targeting the Malayalam New Year Vishu that will be celebrated on April 14.