This Odisha couple joined hands with 1k+ farmers to turn ‘inauspicious’ banana waste into pickles, jam & papad, clocked ₹2.5 Cr in FY25

Although the traditional crops cultivated in Odisha are pulses, paddy, and oilseeds, 53-year-old Kasinath Jena, the founder and CEO of the Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association, chose banana waste to create something valuable for both farmers and common consumers.

He was already aware that farmers in his village cultivate bananas abundantly, with almost every household engaged in banana farming. 

However, they were also facing a serious challenge related to banana waste management, on which they were spending nearly Rs. 2,000 per day, particularly in cleaning and eliminating the waste.

Identifying this problem, Kasinath became actively involved in finding a solution. 

Between 2020 and 2021, he undertook study tours to Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and the North-Eastern states, where he discovered that banana stems and leaves, otherwise discarded by farmers, could be utilised to create both edible and non-edible products.

“Where others saw a liability to be burned, we saw an opportunity to build. By turning the banana stem from a farmer’s burden into a valuable resource, we didn’t just clean the fields; we cultivated a zero-waste economy where banana waste contributes to the prosperity of our rural communities,”Kasinath tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

In 2021, Kasinath and Anusuya Jena founded the Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association in the Balipatna block. 

Today, the association has over 1,000 farmers and is not only addressing the banana waste problem but also creating value-added products for consumers, including pickles, jam, papad, rope, mats, and coasters.

The Background of the Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association Founders

Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association was co-founded by Kasinath Jena and his wife, Anusuya Jena. 

Together, they bring decades of experience in social development, enterprise building, and rural livelihoods.

Kasinath Jena holds a postgraduate degree in Sociology from Ravenshaw University, Odisha, along with a Master of Computer Applications (MCA). 

His academic journey further includes a Cluster Management course from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI), a management programme at the National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NIMSME), Hyderabad, and a fellowship in Disaster Management from the University of Wisconsin, USA.

Professionally, Kasinath began his career as a software professional in 1997. In 1998, he worked with UshaFone, one of India’s early mobile service innovators. 

Later, he transitioned into the development sector, initially joining an NGO as a consultant to develop software solutions.

He later worked with several international organisations such as Oxfam, UNICEF, UNIDO, DFID, SDC, and the Government of India as an independent development consultant.

Before 2005, Anusuya Jena worked with various development agencies. She is currently the President of the Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association. 

While Kasinath leads production, operations, and marketing, Anusuya manages the association’s administration, governance, and organisational processes.

Identifying the Issue with Banana Cultivation

In 2020, after closely observing the challenges farmers were facing in banana cultivation, Kasinath interacted with local growers and found that only 25 per cent of the banana plants were either sold or consumed. 

The remaining 75 per cent, comprising stems and leaves, was discarded. This created a double burden for farmers: first, they had to spend money on labour to clear the waste from their fields in preparation for the next crop; second, to save time, they often resorted to burning the waste, which contributed to air pollution.

Kasinath was also scientifically aware that banana stems are rich in essential micronutrients such as potassium, iron, and calcium, which are beneficial for both human and plant health. However, these valuable resources were being completely wasted.

“One-fourth of the total banana production we use as fruit, while three-fourths of the rest go to waste. Scientifically, the banana stem contains many essential micronutrients like potassium, iron, and calcium, which are critical for both human and plant health. We simply identified the potential of these micronutrients that were being discarded,"the farmer tells Startup Pedia.

In his village, there is also a prevailing belief that leftover banana cultivation waste is inauspicious, prompting farmers to remove it as quickly as possible after harvesting. Banana stems decompose within two days, and the risk of spoilage is high.

“Religiously and culturally, people here have a belief that if the banana fruit is cut down, the trunk must be cut down the same day; otherwise, it is considered inauspicious. You cannot leave it standing,"he says.

Considering all these factors, Kasinath decided to undertake a study tour to explore sustainable solutions to these problems.

About the Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association

To ensure market clarity and avoid confusion between edible and non-edible offerings, the enterprise operates under two distinct legal entities. 

Jayadev Banana Farmers and Artisans Association manufactures and markets agricultural and utility products such as fertilisers, manure, and fibre-based handicrafts. 

Jayadev Natural Foods Private Limited has been established specifically for the production and positioning of food products.

The facility is located in the Khordha district of Odisha and is spread across 0.20 acres of land. 

It houses a three-storey building with a built-up area of approximately 11,000 sq ft. The infrastructure includes a fibre processing unit, a food processing unit, and an agri-input processing unit. 

Most of the machinery used at the facility is either customised or imported, and around 40 workers are employed. 

The brand has also received recognition and technical support through collaborations with several institutions. 

These include FSSAI; CSIR–IMMT (Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology) for biochar technology; OUAT (Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology) for addressing shelf-life challenges related to juice products; CRRI (Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack) for technology development of local products; and CSIR–NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow), which is currently providing technical support.

The Study Tour to Fix the Banana Waste Issue

In the latter part of 2020 and early 2021, Kasinath travelled to various states to note how others utilised banana plants. 

In the Bhusawal region of Maharashtra, he saw farmers extracting fibre; however, residual liquid and other waste were still being discarded.

In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, he observed fibre extraction units, and in the tribal areas of North-East India, he learned from indigenous communities that the innermost core (floral stem) was traditionally used as food. 

Kasinath spent around one year in research, experimentation, and field trials to understand how banana waste could be converted into viable products.

“All banana stems cannot be processed into food. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, they cultivate commercial varieties like Grand Nain (G9), which are not suitable for edible products. However, the indigenous varieties found in Eastern and Southern India are rich in micronutrients and perfect for food processing,"he tells Startup Pedia.

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Initial Challenges and Steps Taken to Overcome Them

Kasinath faced one of the earliest challenges during food processing experiments while developing pickles from banana stems. 

He utilised a conventional dehydration method to extract water content from banana stems, but it failed because the stem is composed largely of water, causing the product to lose texture and nutritional value. 

As a next step, instead of removing the water content, Kasinath replaced the natural water content with treated solutions and ingredients (transfusion method), enabling the stem to retain its structure, taste, and nutrients. 

Another technical issue arose during juice extraction. The naturally high potassium content in banana stems led to rapid fermentation and fungal growth, reducing shelf life. 

To overcome this, he collaborated with OUAT scientists, where they jointly developed a shelf-stable formulation. 

Parallel experiments were conducted in agri-inputs, particularly biochar. In collaboration with CSIR–IMMT and a scientist from the USA, Kasinath helped design a manual cylindrical drum capable of maintaining precise processing conditions. 

The resulting biochar achieved a carbon content of 25–30%, potassium levels of approximately 12%, and a pH of 9.5, making it suitable for agricultural applications.

"If you have the will, many people will come together to support you. When we faced issues with the juice shelf-life, OUAT came forward. When we needed biochar technology, CSIR-IMMT supported us. We partnered with a scientist from the USA to design a drum that maintains the carbon level at 25–30%,"the Odisha-based farmer tells. 

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Initial Investment and Growth

Kasinath invested Rs. 10–20 lakh from his own savings in the initial experimentation and setup. 

Utilising the COVID-19 period as an opportunity to employ available local labour, he began construction of the facility, which was completed in late 2021, with operations commencing in 2022.

The first one to two food products, jam and papad, were developed at the household level and successfully tested among friends. 

To build trust and ensure a supply of raw material, Kasinath started conducting awareness camps to sensitise farmers about the value of banana waste. 

He also created WhatsApp groups to facilitate timely coordination and communication. Initially, he engaged with around 300 farmers, a network that expanded to approximately 1,000 farmers by 2025. 

Later on, his venture received Rs. 2.4 crore in funding from the Government of India under the SFURTI scheme.

Business Model and Workflow

The core business model is completely based on a zero-waste economy. The farm utilises the entire banana waste (stem and leaves), after the fruit is harvested, to create food and daily utility items. 

"In a real sense, our business is zero waste management. We utilise the entire banana stem, starting from the root to the leaf. The fibre processing unit provides input to the agri-processing unit; the waste from fibre extraction feeds the biochar unit. Each unit is complementary to the other; otherwise, true zero-waste management would not be possible,"the Odisha-based agripreneur tells Startup Pedia.

Farmers inform the enterprise about available banana stems through WhatsApp groups, and in response, the organisation dispatches its own vehicles along with trained workers to the farm. 

The team then cuts the stems and clears the fields, free of cost. In return, farmers get Rs. 15,000-20,000 per acre as compensation. 

"We are not just paying them for the waste; we are cleaning their farm fields. By doing this, they get a benefit of more than ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 per acre in saved labour costs. They don't have to invest a single rupee to prepare their field for the next crop, we do it for them," Kasinath says.

After the biomass reaches the facility, it is then segregated, and different parts of the waste are sent into different units. 

Leaves are sent to the drying floor for biochar, vermicompost, and manure production. During fibre extraction, sap released from the stem is collected and bottled as a liquid fertiliser. 

The middle layer of the stem is used for utility and textile applications such as ropes, mats, bags, coasters, etc. 

The innermost core is reserved for food processing, which includes pickles, jams, murabba, juice, papad, and badi.

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Revenue and Distribution Channel

In FY23, the venture generated revenue of approximately Rs. 45–50 lakh.

This increased to nearly Rs. 1 crore in FY24, driven by expanded production capacity and wider market reach. In FY25, the venture recorded revenue of around ₹2.5 crore. 

The products are sold through offline markets, exhibitions, and online channels. The venture has now over 1,000 farmers in their network.

Future Goals

By FY30, the venture is projected to generate revenue of around Rs. 10 crore. 

There are also plans to share a portion of the company’s profits with banana farmers, further enhancing their incomes. 

A key objective is to begin exporting banana stem–based products to international markets.

"My next intention is to provide my business with a direction so that it can export banana stem-related products to other countries. Apart from achieving financial goals, we want to prove that Indian agricultural waste can be a global resource," Kasinath tells Startup Pedia.

The enterprise will continue to invest in research and development to expand its product portfolio. 

It has already applied to the Department of Science and Technology for new technology innovations related to juice processing. 

Another focus area is increasing the utilisation of existing processing machinery. 

Currently, the fibre processing units, which have a capacity of 12 tonnes per day, are operating at less than 50% capacity. 

The goal is to scale this up in line with growing market demand.

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