Banana leaves, which are considered useless in India, are in huge demand abroad. Due to being environment-friendly, their use in packaging is increasing. It provides an attractive business opportunity to earn good income with low investment.
In India, the price of banana fruit is not that much for its leaves. People remove the string of fruits from a banana tree and consider the tree useless. Banana leaves get some importance only in villages or on occasions like marriage. In most places it is treated like garbage. But what we consider as garbage has a huge demand in foreign countries. You can earn lakhs of rupees from this.
There is huge demand for banana leaves in foreign countries
Banana leaves are in high demand in Singapore, UAE, America, South Korea and many countries of Europe. The biggest reason for this is the increasing trend of eco-friendly products. The world is now moving away from plastic and using natural things to save the environment.
Banana leaves are completely natural and dissolve easily in the soil. Besides, they are also anti-bacterial. They can withstand both heat and water. Apart from enhancing the aroma of food, they are also good for health. That is why its use in the field of packaging is increasing rapidly.
Banana leaves are being used extensively in restaurants, catering companies, temples and in packaging of ready-to-eat meals. India is one of the largest banana producers in the world. Banana is cultivated on a large scale in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
You can also start this business
In India, you can earn lakhs of rupees by selling banana leaves which are thrown away considering them as raw material. This business may require an investment of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh. You will need equipment for cutting leaves, washing and drying machines and good packaging material.
IEC, GST and APEDA registration required for export
Raw banana leaves are sold in the market for around Rs 20 to Rs 60 per kg. Whereas, processed export quality leaves are sold for Rs 80 to Rs 200 per kg. If you find the right buyers, you can earn Rs 25 thousand to Rs 2 lakh every month.
You can collect leaves from local farmers, clean them, process them and pack them in moisture-proof packaging. After this, you can sell them through platforms like India Mart, Alibaba and TradeIndia. However, before starting any business, it is important to have complete information and knowledge. You also have to understand the rules related to export properly.