• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Vinson Kurian

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Dec. 20

THE growing potential for plantain and banana-based products within the country and abroad has presented Kerala, a major producer, with a golden opportunity which it hopes to take advantage of by aggressively promoting the industry on the basis of an action plan currently being finalised.

The action plan would be comprehensive in its reach and coverage and would take adequate care of the four important stages of procurement, infrastructure setting, production and marketing, according to Mr Ajay Kumar, Industries Secretary, Kerala Government.In the procurement stage, the effort would be directed at developing backward linkages with growers and forward linkages with other departments so as to ensure smooth and unhindered supply, warehousing and transportation of bananas.

As for infrastructure, fully developed land and cold storage facilities will be made available at the various food parks owned by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra). In the production stage, the aim is to adhere to international specifications for various products. Kinfra will facilitate technology transfer from renowned institutions. Kinfra intends to evolve a `Kerala' brand for food products originating from the State with a view to developing a captive market. Linkages with supermarket chains and other big national/multinational outlets would be explored in this connection.

In the short and immediate term, the action plan seeks to identify and establish parameters for ensuring assured shelf-life of four to six weeks for banana chips. The action plan will look at setting up a controlled atmosphere facility at a convenient location at a cost of Rs 1 crore for testing and validating these parameters.

Potential for plantain chips: Plantain chips has a great potential as a value-added product for the food processing industry in Kerala. Currently, chips are being produced mostly in the unorganised sector with the annual production amounting to 25,000 tonnes. It is estimated that there is an additional demand for 50,000 tonnes, provided longer shelf life is assured.

The annual production of banana in the State is 3.93 lakh tonnes.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
Rubber steady

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line