Induced Ripening of Banana for Increased Marketability and Storage

Ripening Solutions for Quality and Efficiency

The technology of "Induced Ripening of Banana for Increased Marketability and Storage" is a method designed to enhance the ripening process of bananas, specifically dessert bananas, to ensure they are market-ready and have an extended shelf life. This technology is crucial for the banana industry, which often harvests bananas prematurely to minimize transportation damage. In this process, bananas are artificially ripened using various chemical agents, most notably ethylene gas. Commercial ripening chambers provide controlled environments where temperature, humidity, and ethylene gas concentration are precisely regulated. This controlled ripening ensures that bananas reach optimal ripeness and maintain uniform quality.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

Cost: $$$ 3,500 USD

Constructing artisanal chambers

17,000 USD

Industrial semi-automated ripening chambers of 5 tones of banana

IP

Trademark

Problem

The technology adressed problem in banana industry such as:

Premature Harvest: Dessert bananas are often harvested prematurely to prevent transportation damage. This results in fruit that is not yet ripe and ready for the market.
Post-Harvest Losses: Bananas, especially plantains, suffer significant post-harvest losses due to transportation damage and spoilage. This impacts the availability of fresh fruit for consumers.
Inconsistent Ripening: Traditional ripening methods, such as wrapping banana bunches with green leaves, are time-consuming and result in non-uniform ripening. This leads to varying quality and marketability.
Consumer Demand: Consumers prefer ready-to-eat bananas, and fruit sellers need a consistent supply of ripe fruit to meet this demand.
Environmental Concerns: Traditional ripening methods, such as burning leaves or kerosene, can be environmentally unfriendly.

Solution

The technology suggested several solution such as:

Uniform Ripening: By using commercial ripening chambers that control temperature, humidity, and ethylene gas concentration, bananas can be uniformly ripened, ensuring consistent quality and marketability.

Reduced Post-Harvest Losses: Artificial ripening with ethylene gas ensures that bananas are ready for the market, reducing the risk of post-harvest losses due to transportation damage or spoilage.

Efficiency: The technology allows for the acceleration or slowing down of the ripening process based on market demand, optimizing the supply chain.

Environmental Benefits: Controlled ripening with ethylene gas is more environmentally friendly compared to traditional methods like burning leaves or kerosene.

Meeting Consumer Demand: The technology meets consumer demand for ready-to-eat bananas, benefiting both fruit growers and sellers.

Key points to design your business plan

This technology is beneficial for users (farmers):

The technology of Induced Ripening of Banana for Increased Marketability and Storage provides a cost-effective solution to enhance the marketability and storage of bananas, thereby benefiting farmers.

To integrate this technology into your business, consider the following steps:

Conduct market assessments to understand demand dynamics and potential profitability of organically ripened bananas.
Develop a business plan, obtain necessary licenses and permits, select a suitable location, purchase or lease equipment, secure raw materials, hire personnel, and implement quality control processes.

Constructing simple artisanal chambers that can produce 4,000-5,000 kg of ripe banana per week, together with bins and water tank for washing and electronic scale for weighing, requires an investment of about 3,500 USD.

Industrial semi-automated ripening chambers with refrigeration and ethylene gassing systems that can hold 5,000 kg of banana cost about 17,000 USD excluding the warehouse, installation and taxes.

Other costs to run ripening chambers include labour for filling, controlling and packaging, and industrial systems consume kWatt electricity per hour.

Industrial ripening chambers are subject to licenses and regulation because of the ethylene compounds in use. This technology is available in Zambia, Uganda, Togo, Tanzania, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Ghana, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Burundi, Burkina Faso and Benin. When planning, factor in potential duty fees for delivery.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Carbon footprint: More carbon released

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Benin	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	Tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	Tested	Adopted
Guinea	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	Tested	Adopted
Togo	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid	–	–	–	–
Subhumid	–		–
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 1: no poverty

1. Introduction of Ethylene

Prepare a ripening chamber or room suitable for inducing the ripening of bananas.
Generate ethylene, a ripening agent, using chemicals like Ethephon (Trade name Ethrel) with a concentration of 2000 ppm.
Dip the bananas in the ethylene solution for 3 minutes. Ensure thorough coverage.

2. Control Humidity