The ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (ICAR-NRCB) at Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu, has released two new banana varieties. Kaveri Thangam is a premium variety with yellow pulp, around 10 times more vitamin A than conventional bananas and a shelf life of 15 days. Kaveri Nadan is a high-yielding variety capable of up to 75 tonnes per hectare, almost twice the yield of regular varieties. The centre is also promoting AI- and sensor-based irrigation to save water and help farmers cope with climate risks, and will give technical support for exporting Nendran bananas to the Middle East through four clusters of export-oriented farmer producer organisations.