Beyond the Bunch: How Kushinagar Adds Value to Bananas

In Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, bananas are more than a fruit sold in markets or used in rituals. In a district known for large-scale banana cultivation, efforts are underway to extend value beyond harvest. From chips and processed foods to fibre and by-products from the peel, stalk, and flower, the banana plant is being viewed as a full-value resource.

This shift matters because price stability for farmers often ends at harvest. Local processing offers a way to absorb varied grades of produce and reduce post-harvest loss.

From Homemaker to Entrepreneur

Anita Rai, founder of Shri Maitli Enterprises and the brand Karpura, entered this space in 2019. Ms Rai saw potential beyond banana fibre, which had been the primary focus locally.

After visiting Tiruchirappalli to study banana-based food products, she returned with samples and ideas that helped demonstrate the commercial viability of processing. “Very little in a banana plant is waste,” she says. “If managed properly, each part can create income.”

Today, her unit produces 10–12 banana-based products, with chips serving as an accessible entry point into the market.

Processing and Training

The enterprise sources bananas locally and processes them into packaged foods while exploring value from peel, stalk, and flower. Cultural familiarity also shapes the strategy—banana leaves used as plates and the fruit’s role in rituals help reinforce demand.

Rai maintains a WhatsApp group connecting farmers and scientists, facilitating knowledge-sharing. She conducts annual training sessions for around 300 individuals and supports participants with basic toolkits to begin small-scale processing. Her unit employs six permanent staff and engages additional women during fairs and peak production cycles.

Through the One District One Product (ODOP) framework, access to training and institutional linkages has helped strengthen operations.

Value Beyond Harvest

For Rai, the key lies in perception. Storm-damaged plants or smaller fruit need not mean total loss. Fibre extraction, composting inputs, and food processing can each generate revenue when timely guidance and market access are available.

In Kushinagar, the banana story is gradually shifting—from a single fruit economy to a broader processing model where what remains in the field becomes the start of a new product line