This presentation brings the idea of converting banana stem (pseusotem) into low cost paper and discusses the validity of a small scale plant and its cost estimation

1. Prepared By
Shanjul Shrivastava

2. Basic Ideology
The basic idea behind the project is “Utilization Of Bio-
waste and its conversion into Useful Products”.
The motive is to obtain conventional paper by using
pulp from waste banana pseudostem and converting it
into paper.

3. What is Banana Pseudostem ?
The pseudostem is the part of
the banana plant that looks like a trunk.
The true stem is underground and it
produces pseudostem above it . It is
formed by the tightly overlapping
leaf sheaths.
Once Pseudostem bears bananas , it is
cut down from base because it will never
bear fruits again and becomes a waste.
After some time a new pseudostem
grows from true stem and cycle
continues.

4. After banana harvesting, the pseudostems are cut and
left in the fields. Billion tons of stem and leaves are
thrown away annually.
What is Happening At present ?

5.  Not only this, but for disposing pseudostem
presently farmers are spending about Rs. 8000 to
10000/ha.
 Disposal of pseudostem in a routine ways i.e.,
dumping on field bunds and burning, disposing
in river/natural drains etc. causing environmental
issues.

6. Why Banana Plant ?
Banana is one of the important fruit crops grown
almost in every state of India (7.1 lakh ha).
Maharashtra:- Kharif - June – July , Rabi - October – November
Tamil Nadu:- February – April , November – December
Kerala:- Rain fed- April-May , August- September
Apart from fruit, it generates huge quantity of
biomass as waste in the form of pseudostem, leaves,
etc, of these , on an average about 60 to 80 t/ha is
pseudostem alone.

7. Society Benefits
 Pseudostem waste disposal problem and
consequently the Environmental pollution issues can
be solved.
 It will be a source of income for farmers.
 Wood consumption for paper production will be
reduced.
 New industrial set ups of banana pseudostem
processing will provide job opportunities.

8. Flow sheet Of Pulping Process

9. Pseudostem Processing
(Lab Scale)
 Initially Banana Pseudo stem is taken and
washed several times with water to remove
dust and soil particles present on it . Later it
is cut into desired cm long pieces.

10.  They are crushed in a sugar cane crusher to
reduce water content and later dried at 80ºC
for about 30 minutes to further reduce the
water content.

11. Pulp Preparation Process
 Preparation of cooking liquor
 Digestion of cooking liquor
 Filtration and washing of pulp
 Bleaching
 Drying

12. Paper & Board making
 Pulp from storage tank is manually lifted in a
bucket and deposited in specifically fabricated
wooden moulds . Depending on the thickness
required, appropriate quantity of pulp is
poured in the mould and pressed to remove
excess water, using either a filter press or
hydraulic press.

13. Uses
 Acoustic panels - At present, acoustic panels available
in the market cost about 18-40 per sq.ft. Boards made
from banana stem will cost Rs.10-15 per sq.ft.
 Packing material - Boxes made from these boards can
be used for transport of fruits and other materials.
 Files and cover paper- Thicker varieties can be used for
making files, covers and packing materials.
 Partition walls and other utilities- The insulating
properties of these boards are found to be very good.
These boards may be used for partition walls, false
ceilings and as insulating panels.

14. Economics for 100 days (Small Scale)
 I) Capital Costs (In Rs.)
a. Workplace Rent
1000 sq.ft. @ Rs.30 30,000
b. Equipment & Machinery 1,00000
(beater, screw press,digestor auto vat, moulds)
c.Utilities 25000
Total (I) 165000
 II) Variable Costs
a.Raw Material/Consumables
Chopped banana stem (6 tons) 20,000
White cotton rags for quality 60,000
paper (3 tons)
Colour cotton rags (3 tons) 12,000
Resin, chemicals, additives 40,000
Packing material 3,000
Sub Total 135000

15.  b. Wages
Skilled workers (5) @Rs.60/day 27,000
Unskilled workers (5) @Rs.45/day 20,500
Female workers (5) @Rs.45/day 20,500
Sub Total 67750
 c.Indirect expenses
Interest on working capital 3,000
Utility charges (water & electricity) 15,000
Marketing cost (5% of total sale) 20,700
Sub Total 38700
Total (II) 241450

16.  III) Fixed Cost
Supervision and overheads 12,000
Depreciation 10,000
Interest on term loan 20,000
Total 42000
 Income (9 tons finished product; 90% capacity utilization; total sale)
Soft board: 3 tons @ Rs.35,000/ton 105000
Cover/file paper:
3 tons @ Rs.30,000/ton 90000
Quality paper 3 tons @ Rs.50,000/ton 150000
Total 3,45000
 Cost of production: Variable Cost + Fixed Cost 2,83450
 Gross Surplus: Total Sale – Cost of production 61,550
 Net Surplus: Gross Surplus – Depreciation 51000

17. Cost Estimation (Appx.)
Equipment Cost Uses
 Digester 35,000 Digestion of
cooking liquor
 Sugar Cane 23,000 Conversion
Crusher into chips
 Filter Press 37,000 Pressurizing
Pulp
 Chemicals + Raw 10,000 Processing
Materials
TOTAL Rs.1,10,000

18. THANK YOU