Mehul Handicrafts News Highlights:
• Mehul has established a Banana Fiber Waste Processing Unit in Burhanpur.
• He is employing 60 workers, 50 of them are women who use banana fiber to manufacture a range of items.
These are the produced product: fishing nets ,ropes ,mat ,sanitary pads, currency paper ,handicrafts ,clothes, bed sheets, sarees.
Why in News?
In Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, there is a lot of banana plantation. Every two to three kilometers, you’ll come across a banana orchard. After harvesting the bananas, most farmers either burn the stems and leaves in the field or take them to the landfill and dispose of them. It is harmful to both the environment and the farmers. To address this issue, Mehul Shroff, a resident of the district, founded a company in 2018.Banana West has more than a dozen things that they manufacture. And producing a revenue of Rs 12 lakhs per year.
Mehul claims that he had made the decision to do business a long time ago. As a result, He enrolled in an MBA programme following graduation. He used to read about tiny and large startups, as well as their founders. If he had the opportunity, he would meet him and try to comprehend his work. Then He learned that agriculture is the most rapidly growing industry. It has a lot of potential for development. There will be no scarcity of market if work is done in a more efficient manner.
While studying, he began to conduct research.
Mehul claims that he only learned about agro waste management during his MBA programme. Because there is no shortage of Banana West in our region, He assumed this was his thing. As a result, he’ve chosen to perform some work on its waste management.
Mehul began researching and accumulating information about Banana West after completing his MBA in 2016.In South India, He met folks who were working on trash management. Information obtained through the use of the internet. Then, in Burhanpur, He attended a workshop hosted by Navsari Agricultural University. Banana received training in manufacturing handicraft things from fiber waste at this location.
Mehul then began his own business. In Burhanpur, he established a processing facility. They imported the required machinery from China. He then began his task with the assistance of other locals.
What methods do they use to produce their goods?
Mehul has established a Banana Fiber Waste Processing Unit in Burhanpur, employing 60 workers.50 of them are women who use banana fiber to manufacture a range of items. They claim that we must first cut the banana stem from the field and load it into the tractor. They then transport it to their factory. It is split into two sections here with the help of a machine. The women who work here then cut it into individual sheets.
It is then treated on a variety of levels. Short and long fibers are made from this material. It is then exposed to the sun to dry. Then it’s turned into a product. Mehul currently manufactures a dozen Banana West items, including handicrafts, fibers, sanitary napkins, and grow bags. They send their goods to the big textile businesses directly. Their goods have also been sent to China and Vietnam. They are about to launch their own app, which will allow them to deliver their products straight to clients.
Banana fiber waste economy
In India, bananas are grown on a big scale. According to a report, the country produces 14 million tonnes of bananas each year. The states with the largest production include Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, MP, and Bihar. In terms of fiber waste, India produces 1.5 million tonnes of dry manufacturing fiber each year. In India, this trash is increasingly being used commercially. Banana fiber textiles have also been produced in a number of locations.
According to Mehul, if someone wants to start small level, two to three lakh rupees can be spent to set up a business. This is a developing industry, and there are few individuals working in it right now. As a result, there is plenty of room for advancement. The best part is that raising Banana Vest does not cost a lot of money. Farmers are wasting their time because they are giving it away for free. In addition, the government is on board with this. Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mehul received incubation and a grant of Rs 20 lakh from Shri Karan Narendra Agricultural University in Jaipur (RAFTAAR).
Banana fiber products
• Fishing nets
• Ropes
• Mat
• Sanitary pads
• Currency paper
• Handicrafts
• Clothes, Bed sheets, Sarees
