Banana is the second most important fruit crop in India next to mango. India is the largest producer of banana in the world, with a total production of 16.9 million tonnes from 690,000 hectares. Production is the highest in Maharashtra (3,924.1 thousand tones), followed by Tamil Nadu (3,543.8 thousand tonnes), according to data published by the National Horticulture Board.
If there is one district of Madhya Pradesh that makes it to the national map of banana production, it is Burhanpur. It is a historic city situated at the bank of River Tapti. Known famously as the ‘Key to Deccan’, it houses the magnificent ‘Asirgarh Fort’, Shahi Qila and UNESCO-nominated Kundi Bhandara.
In 2014, Burhanpur had 16,000 hectares area under banana cultivation, producing 1 million tonnes of banana which has risen to more than 25,000 ha and 1.7 million tonnes banana in 2024.
Around 18,660 farmers are involved in banana agriculture. The productivity of the crop was 70 tonnes per hectare in 2024, which is one of the highest productivity for banana in the country. The proximity to Jalgaon, Maharashtra, known as the banana city of India, and Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd has certainly helped.
High-density planting, precision farming and the use of micro-irrigation have led to this enormous increase in banana yield. The bananas produced in Burhanpur are marketed throughout MP, along with Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, among others.
It is also exported to gulf countries like Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Turkey and UAE. In 2023-24, 75,000 tonnes of bananas were exported by the local companies.
The most basic banana products in the country are banana chips! At most junctions and corners, women can be found selling hot banana chips for Rs 180-200 / kg and earning their living. The local company ‘Iccha Chips’ is the biggest producer with a massive 500 quintal / year production.
Another product, ‘Bananify’, is a banana powder made from locally sourced bananas and is highly nutritious. It can be used in baby foods, desserts and cakes as well. Solar dryer, established in agreement with SHG & Khaknar farmer-producer organisation, produces dehydrated bananas that are then supplied by the women to the firm Raheja Solar in Indore.
The value chain of banana tree is quite long. Each part of a banana plant can be turned into a value-added product. In Burhanpur, it is being utilised to make more than six types of products. Apart from food items, handicraft and pooja items like clock, bags, mats, caps, rakhis, keychains, diyas, broom, sanitary napkins for women, organic fertiliser, leather and even plywood! Banana can also be made into paper, fabric and biofuel, for which there are trial runs in the district.
The pseudo stem of banana tree is an agro-waste with multiple applications. Banana fibre is manufactured using pseudo stems which are usually discarded by farmers. These pseudo stems are collected and peeled to extract their sheath. The sheath is fed to the fibre extraction machine that provides the banana fibre. The extracted fibre is then sun-dried and cleaned and used for making products just like jute.
The fibre extraction also separates the banana sap, which is a high nutrient liquid that is useful as an organic fertiliser and is being produced by ‘Mangalam Kalpataru’ and others. This Burhanpur company was a pioneer in setting up an integrated banana fibre processing unit in Burhanpur and has reached out to the Indian market through the B2B model.
Clocks, yoga mats, planters, brooms, diyas etc are produced by trained women here.
Banana fibre is recently being transformed into plant-based banana leather by a brand called ‘Banhide’. Such leather is not only vegan and cruelty free but also provides a sustainable non-polluting alternative to animal leather.
Young entrepreneurs are working with the National Institute of Plywood to develop banana fibre into plywood-like material or MDF board. The material has very good strength and can be an eco-friendly alternative to the wooden plywood.
All these products are manufactured not from the fruit, but from the pseudo stem, which is otherwise discarded by the farmers or even worse, burnt. The prospect of up-cycling this agro waste material into sustainable items provides a vital economic and environmental opportunity for the entire region.
The initial training in 2020 was organised by NABARD, where Shahpur women SHGs were trained before they started their own units. Their lead, Usha Udalkar, said, “Our processing unit gives employment to more than 50 women and creates products on demand”.
In the past five years, more than 880 SHG Didis have been trained with the convergence of multiple government schemes in the district. The Department of Tourism, through its ‘Project on Supporting Local Products’, funded several programmes to teach women the art of working with the banana fibre.
The district Rural Self Employment Training Institute provides 14-day training courses, along with entrepreneurial and credit support for starting one’s own production unit. The PM Vishwakarma scheme has also provided a platform for organising skilling initiatives. Collaborations with eco-friendly private firms, like Maleema India and Kalpataru Industries, have helped create beautiful handicraft products like bags, purses, mats, tea coasters, among others.
Anusuya Chouhan didi from Luv-Kush SHG remarked, “Learning how to make banana fibre products has brought a new turn in my life. With the help of group fund, I have purchased the machine myself and expanded production of handicraft products. Seeing the opportunity even my husband supports in this work.” Some of these high-end products like hats and caps made by her are even reaching customers in London.
An agreement between SRLM and Arogya Saukhyam Sansthan, Kerala led to the making of sanitary napkins from banana fibre. Poor menstrual hygiene and high costs often create health burdens on rural girls and women. Saukhyam reusable sanitary pads provide a sustainable alternative and are stitched at a facility in the rural block of Khaknar. They are sold by the SHG Didis themselves in the villages, helping them make an earning.
In February 2024, the district administration in Burhanpur organised a unique event ‘Banana Festival’, with the support of honourable MP and MLAs. It was a national event where more than 75 delegates and experts from NRCB, ICAR, Navsari Agricultural University, Jain Irrigation, entrepreneurs and exporters participated.
Such a forum helped showcase the potential of district Burhanpur for banana processing and industrial units. It also attracted investments and attention of local entrepreneurs that could encourage self employment.
For promoting local entrepreneurship in banana processing, the horticultural department has provided loans to more than 200 beneficiaries of upto Rs 7 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme. The women SHG groups have taken loans from the CLF as well. Increased access to capital is leading to business expansion as well as technological upgradation that helps improve the productivity and quality of products.
Marketing is a challenge and currently the products are sold in local and national exhibitions and haats. In order to create a brand value for the ONE DISTRICT ONE PRODUCT (ODOP) banana products, a composite brand named — Banacraft — was born.
Its website initially run by the district administration seeks to provide a banner for all Banana related products in the district so that they can reach the sprawling Indian market.
Given the strides in production, productivity, marketing and processing, Burhanpur was recognised and awarded at the National ODOP Awards 2023. With the success of ongoing research and trials, banana agro-waste can also be used to make paper, packaging material, disposables, textiles and bio-energy materials.
In a world dominated with unsustainable consumerism, the humble entrepreneurs and didis of Burhanpur are showing a way to up-cycle the agro waste. This is an example of how community engagement and simple technological processes can kickstart the idea of local circular economy. Each sustainable product is a step towards economic independence and community development.
While Burhanpur’s bio-economy continues to thrive, it provides an inspiration for communities worldwide who seek to integrate environmental responsibility with social prosperity.
Gowda is the CEO, Zila Panchayat, Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.