Plantain trunks once posed a major headache for growers after the harvest of banana since they had to spend much time, energy and resources to clearing them from the field. Not so now. The fibre is now a source of additional income as it used by self-help groups to make ornamental products that are much in demand in foreign markets.
Besides, the venture has also given employment to hundreds of women farmhands who prepare banana sheaths for extracting the fibre, which is then sold to SHGs for making decorative items.
Farmers growing banana on the Thirukkurungudi-Cheranmahadevi stretch in Tirunelveli district along the foothills of the Western Ghats sell their produce comprising banana varieties such as nenthiran, kathali’, thozhuvan, kathali, poovan’, karpooravalli and sevvaazhai’ at the weekly market at Sirumalanji near Nanguneri. The market attracts a large number of traders from various parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Kerala. After selling the harvested banana, the growers had to toil hard to remove hundreds of withered banana trunks standing in their plantations.
“Tamil Nadu’s annual production of banana stands at 56 lakh tonnes as this water-intensive crop is being largely cultivated in Theni, Tiruchi, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari. Until recently, we had to spend a few thousand rupees per acre to remove the standing trunks after the harvest. But now, demand for the trunk has gone up and we sell them to a small group of women processing and extracting fibre from the banana sheath. It is a win-win situation for all of us as we get revenue from the waste and the women get an income by selling the fibre to SHGs,” says Kannan, a banana farmer of Nambithalaivanpattaiyam near Thirukkurungudi.
Since the fibre extracted from the banana cultivated along the foothills of the Western Ghats is lesser in weight, flexible and sturdy, the demand is heavy. Hence, traders from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have also started visiting the region to buy it.
“Since the fibre extracted from sevvazhai trunk is brownish in colour, traders don’t prefer it while fibre extracted from other varieties sell like hot cakes. And, the fibre extracted from nenthiran variety is premium and much sought-after as it is a bright white,” says Mani, a farmer of Kattalai village.
Geetha of Sirumalanji says the demand for banana fibre has created a new business opportunity for her, while Sneha of Maavadi says the business had opened a new door instead of toiling in beedi rolling industry.
Former Collector of the district V. Vishnu established two banana fibre value-addition centres at Kodaganallur and Sengulam village panchayats with 190 women. After undergoing extensive training in making ornamental products, the women are making products that are being exported to foreign destinations through a Thoothukudi-based exporter.
After Collector K.P. Karthikeyan opened the third banana fibre value-addition centre at Rajakkalmangalam near Valliyoor, demand for the extract has increased further.
“So, what we treated as trash is now giving us revenue. And, it also guarantees revenue for women. Our fibre made into ornamental products is getting exported and gives employment to SHG members. It is a win-win situation for all concerned,” says Mr. Mani.
Published - March 16, 2023 04:58 pm IST
