Banana chips are becoming upscale as more branded snack food companies enter the market. Promoter of Tierra Food India, Alex Thomas said, “Almost the entire production of banana chips in Kerala is being carried out in the unorganized sector.” He stated there was a huge opportunity for the organized sector in the production and marketing of banana chips.
The production of banana chips in Kerala has been estimated at 60 ton a day. “We are aiming at a 10% share of this,” he said. The company will manufacture banana, cassava chips, cashew, peanut, almonds and pistachio in convenient packets under the Groves banner. Coimbatore is another place where the banana chip-making industry is making inroads.
He said, “The demand is very good for banana chips but problem lies in scarcity of raw material. We are in talks with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Avinashilingam University to develop good-quality bananas that can be grown round the year.” Coimbatore is another place where the banana chip-making industry is making inroads. In fact, nearly 20 trucks, each carrying 10-12 tons of the ‘nenthram’ variety, go from Tamil Nadu everyday.
