Pineapple leaf fibre a new source of income

Women entrepreneurs are producing quality fibre and various household products from pineapple leaves in Madhupur upazila of Tangail.
Vanity bags, ornament box, wall mat, tissue box, pen pot, hat, ornaments are being made using pineapple leaves.
Some 500 women in Madhupur upazila engaged themselves in the work after receiving training for producing the items by pineapple leaves under a project of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BWCCI) in Jalchatra under the upazial. Ministry of Industries and European Union funded the project while Basic Unit for Resources and Opportunities of Bangladesh, a local NGO, is as partner.
“The finished goods from the pineapple leaves are eco-friendly and already received good response in home and abroad. There is bright prospect of earning foreign currency from the products,” Azad Rahman, project manager of the Madhupur unit, told The Independent.
Manager of the project said, four unit offices have been set up in the country to train 2,000 women at the primary stage under the project.
Madhupur, Narsingdi and Gaibandha unit offices are running in full swing and gradually the capacity will be enhanced in phases, he said.
Fabric produced from pineapple leaves are sold at Tk 1500-2000 per metre, Azad added.
Lipi Begum, a trainee, said: “We need long term plan with proper patronisation and new markets to flourish this unique initiative.”
Pineapple leaves is normally used as fodder for livestock or considered as waste.  But it is now being used as raw materials to make fibre in the area. The trainees collect the pineapple leaves from the pineapple orchards. The raw materials are available in the area as pineapple is cultivated on about 18,000 acres of land in Madhupur.

Pineapple leaf fibre a new source of income

Women entrepreneurs are producing quality fibre and various household products from pineapple leaves in Madhupur upazila of Tangail. Vanity bags, ornament box, wall mat, tissue box, pen pot, hat, ornaments are being made using pineapple leaves. Some 500 women in Madhupur upazila engaged themselves in the work after receiving training for producing the items by pineapple leaves under a project of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BWCCI) in Jalchatra under the upazial. Ministry of Industries and European Union funded the project while Basic Unit for Resources and Opportunities of Bangladesh, a local NGO, is as partner. The finished goods from the pineapple leaves are eco-friendly and already received good response in home and abroad. There is bright prospect of earning foreign currency from the products, Azad Rahman, project manager of the Madhupur unit, told The Independent. Manager of the project said, four unit offices have been set up in the country to train 2,000 women at the primary stage under the project. Madhupur, Narsingdi and Gaibandha unit offices are running in full swing and gradually the capacity will be enhanced in phases, he said. Fabric produced from pineapple leaves are sold at Tk 1500-2000 per metre, Azad added. Lipi Begum, a trainee, said: We need long term plan with proper patronisation and new markets to flourish this unique initiative. Pineapple leaves is normally used as fodder for livestock or considered as waste. But it is now being used as raw materials to make fibre in the area. The trainees collect the pineapple leaves from the pineapple orchards. The raw materials are available in the area as pineapple is cultivated on about 18,000 acres of land in Madhupur.