The Banana Plant Tissue Production Centre at Kuvempu University, established to support local farmers, has been inactive for the past four years due to insufficient funding. The university has appealed to the State government for financial assistance to resume operations. The Department of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Biotechnology at the university set up the centre to provide farmers with healthy, disease-free banana plantlets at subsidised prices. Hundreds of farmers benefited from these plantlets, cultivating them successfully. While private sellers offered plantlets at prices ranging from ₹18 to ₹23 per plantlet, the university provided them at a much lower cost of ₹8 each. Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa was among those who benefited from the centre. During a meeting with university officials on Tuesday, he mentioned purchasing and cultivating plantlets on his farm, which proved profitable. "I had purchased a few thousand plantlets from the centre. I am glad the university served the needs of the local farmers. It is unfortunate that the centre is not operational now," he said.

H.S. Santosh Kumar, Chairman of the Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology highlighted in his presentation that the centre has been non-functional since 2020. "We need financial support of ₹10 lakh per year. If we receive ₹50 lakh, the centre can restart its activities and serve the needs of local farmers," he said.

The university has submitted a proposal to the Minister seeking funds for the centre. "We are eager to resume research activities and provide disease-free plantlets. The university has submitted a proposal for funding," said Vice Chancellor Sharath Ananthamurthy.