Start a Plantain Processing Business

Plantain is mainly grown for food in most countries. The plant requires adequate rainfall, organic soil and temperatures from 20C-34C.

Plantain is the main ingredient in the manufacturing process of local delicacies. The tropical plant has a tall frame with large bunched fruits.

They propagate and produce young plants through suckers yearly. Banana and plantain farms are very lucrative ventures and highly sustainable.

The processing industries around the plants are equally lucrative. The business covers export, small cottage industry and manufacturing.

The amount of funds depends on your business plan, niche and area of specialization. Although the fruit is perishable processing prolongs the lifespan of the fruit.

Products and Uses

Processed plantain offers an investor many money making opportunities. There are many products applicable to plantain.

The versatile fruit could be fried, steamed or boiled. Other applications include conversion into flour, baked, grilled or made into chips.

How Plantain is processed

The plant is processed based on the final product. It is used in many food products, drinks, soups and food. Here are general methods plantain is processed in different culinary meals.

• Milled
• Fried
• Grilled
• Dried
• Baked
• Cooked
• Ground
• boiled

Uses of Plantain

Both the ripe and unripe plantain including its components is used in different industrial and food applications. It is made into bread, cakes, biscuits and curries. Other uses include soups, meals, chips, baby food and puddings.

• Bread
• Cakes
• Biscuits
• Curries
• Soups
• Meals
• Chips
• baby food
• puddings

Deep Fried Plantain

A popular snack common in Ghana is Kelewele generally made by frying the fruit. The ripe plantain is sliced and deep fried in either palm oil or groundnut oil. The sumptuous food is served with beans or eaten with fried fish.

How to Start a Plantain and Banana Farm

Plantain Chips

Many small scale traders leverage on plantain chips to earn daily income. The chips are generally made from unripe plantain, peeled, cut and fried.  

The unripe plantain commonly referred to as green plantain are thinly sliced flattened and deep fried. They are then wrapped in nylon, sealed and sold directly to consumers or stores.  When fried they are golden colored and a perfect appetizer.

Countries consume similar variations of the product are Nigeria, Ecuador, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Others are Cuba, Dominic republic, Colombia and Ghana.

Drink, Curry, Soup

To produce Chapo a local drink usually consumed in Peru. The fruit is boiling in water, sugar added and spiced.

The fruit is also a major ingredient in plantain soup and sometimes processed into a spicy curry known as Pazham Pachadi. Locals also add the ripe fruit into coconut milk, spices, sugar and sago to make a delicious pudding.

Flour

Beverage companies process the fruit into plantain flour. The manufacturers usually slice then dry the fruit before grinding into flour. The flour is then packaged, labeled and sold in stores and open market.

Plantain Dishes

A restaurant owner could focus on preparing only plantain dishes. This is because of the huge number of culinary cooking applications.

Plantain dishes to consider are Aranitas, fried plantain(Aloco), Alcapurria, Chifles, Cayeye and roasted plantain (Bole) . Others include Plantain dumplings (Bolitas de Plantano), Dodo, Mangu and traditional steamed cake ( Nagasari).

Plantain Dishes

• Piononos
• Pinon
• Nagasari
• Mofongo
• Tostones
• Tajadas
•  Mangu
• Dodo
• Bole

Machinery and Equipment

The production technology depends on the final product. The fruit are usually peeled, cut, sliced, and ground. Others include dehydration, frying, boiling or grilling.

The type of machinery you need depends on your niche. There are lots of automated, semi-automated and manually powered equipment.

Common equipment found in the processing industry includes dryers, ovens, cooking stoves, sieves and packaging equipment. Others are weight scales, bowls, deep fryers, plate mill, knives and peelers.

Plantain Farming Business Ideas

General Equipment

• Dryers
• Ovens
• cooking stoves
• sieves
• packaging equipment
• weight scales
• bowls
• deep fryers
• plate mill
• knives
• peelers

Quality Control

Commercial products should pass quality control tests and certification. Packaged food are tested and approved by the National Drug and Food Administration.

There are also inspections of processing stations to ascertain cleanliness and hygiene. The food handles need to pass health tests and certification.

Plantain Processing Business license

Licenses include a trade license and business name. You could create a logo and patent the name.

Other requirements are individual tax identification number and insurance. The product label should have information such as manufactured date, best before and expiration date. Register the business as a sole proprietorship business or limited liability company.

• trade license
• business name
• create a logo
• individual tax identification number
• insurance
• sole proprietorship business

Location

The ideal location is either close to ready market or raw material. Plantain is heavy and requires proper logistics and transportation.

Make sure the location you choose has all the amenities for efficient production. And the project estimated depends on the size and scope of the enterprise.

Marketing the product depends on the industry. Viable customers include hotels, restaurant, supermarkets and private individuals.