Our Reporter
Dimapur, Feb. 8 (EMN): A three-day state exhibition and entrepreneurship conclave that was conducted as part of the National SC-ST Hub concluded on February 8 in Dimapur.
At the exhibition, an interesting stall stood out. It was a stall opened by the Nagaland Tool Room and training centre of the Industries and Commerce department, which showcased products made from banana fibre. The fibre was extracted from a fibre extraction machine developed by the Nagaland Tool Room and training centre.
One of the faculty members of Nagaland Tool Room and training centre, Rovisatuo Naprantsu, said that in the beginning a banana fibre extraction machine was purchased from Gujarat but it was not viable for use in Nagaland as it was a three-phase machine and used a lot of electric power. It was not suitable for a state like Nagaland, it was informed.
Naprantsu said they studied the machine that was brought from Gujarat in the year 2016, and redesigned and converted into single-phase machine of two power types namely electric and petrol versions, which were made at an agro-based rural technology incubation center. He said that by September 2019 they had started imparting training as well as engaging in production.
Both the versions are portable devices and easy to install, he said. They are said to be low-maintenance and easy to operate by anyone. Besides, the machine gives ‘high productivity,’ it was informed.
When queried about the economic prospects of banana fibre, he said it is suitable for handicrafts and handloom processing units. Besides, the material is eco-friendly, fully biodegradable, and provides good insulation against heat. Further, it is non-toxic besides having an advantage of being abundant and continuous in supply.
Naprantsu said the by-product can also be used in mushroom cultivation, used as feed for piggery, or used as vermin-compost, processing paper and even fish feed among others.
As for sales of the machine, he informed that four machines were sold during the Hornbill festival in 2019 and recently this year two machine was sold to Arunachal Pradesh state. He informed that the prize range differs from electric and petrol version. The electric version is sold at INR 65000, while the petrol version is sold at INR 75000 including GST. The price is increased by INR 10,000 when it is sold to states outside, it was informed.
When queried about his experience at the state-level exhibition and entrepreneurship conclave of the National SC-ST Hub, he said it was a ‘great exhibition’ for the participants and added that they have received considerable positive feedback and advice. Further, he said that the Sebi Bank had approached them offering training sponsorship in the future.
According to Naprantsu, the event was positive overall, and that they sold products worth around INR 11000. He opined that Nagaland coffee might have a good sale at the exhibition.
More on the positives, he informed that the team went to Coimbatore, Tamil Naidu for further training and exposure for the banana fibre products and machine.
