ICAR-CIRCOT Organize Brainstorming Session on Value Addition of Banana Fibre at Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh

ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, in collaboration with the Indian Fibre Society (IFS), Mumbai, organized a one-day Brainstorming Session on “Value Addition of Banana Fibre for Improving the Livelihood of stakeholders” on 29th September 2025 at Hotel Vrindavan, Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. The programme aimed to bring together researchers, technologists, entrepreneurs, industry representatives, and progressive farmers to deliberate on innovative technologies, processing methods, and value-addition strategies for banana fibre with a special focus on enhancing farmers’ income. Around 50 stakeholders actively participated in this important event.

The session commenced with a welcome address by Dr. A. S. M. Raja, Head, QEID, ICAR-CIRCOT, and Secretary, IFS. This was followed by the opening remarks of Dr. S. K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, who emphasized the importance of developing banana fibre-based value chains to support sustainable livelihoods for farmers.

During the technical presentations, Mr. Mehul M. Shroff, Managing Director, M/s Mangalam Kalpataru Industries, highlighted the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and progressive farmers in the banana fibre value chain in Burhanpur. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Ravindra Naik, Principal Scientist and In-charge, ICAR-CIAE Regional Centre, Coimbatore, who shared the technologies developed by ICAR-CIAE, including efficient banana fibre extractors. Mr. Sameer Kanabargi, Managing Director, M/s Phoenix Products, Belgaum, also shared insights on energy efficiency in the extraction of banana fibre from pseudostems, emphasizing sustainable practices.Further, Dr. A. Arputharaj and Dr. T Senthilkumar, Senior Scientists, ICAR-CIRCOT, presented the institute’s ongoing R&D work on banana fibre applications, such as lignocellulosic foam, composites, and blending banana fibre in spinning processes. 

The session concluded with remarks from Dr. S. K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, who appreciated the collaborative efforts of scientists, industry, and need of value addition of banana sap and Scutcher waste. This brainstorming session served as a significant platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, identify challenges, and explore opportunities for enhancing the value addition of banana fibre, thereby contributing to improved income generation for banana farmers and the development of sustainable fibre-based industries in India.