Ctg entrepreneurs turn areca leaves into eco-friendly crockery, inspire others

Two friends from Chattogram are inspiring other entrepreneurs to join them in the production of eco-friendly crockery products from areca leaves.

Ecovalley BD, the company founded by the two friends, began producing 7,000-8,000 pieces of crockery products per month two and a half years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, the company produces 15,000-20,000 pieces per month, and is now supplying production machines to new entrepreneurs.

At least 18 entrepreneurs are now in the business of manufacturing and marketing crockery products from areca leaves in Bangladesh, with six of them using machines made by Ecovalley BD.

The company is making a profit of Tk1-2 lakh from each of these machines, and is helping to reduce the use of single-use plastic in the country.

Md Aminul Islam, one of the founders of Ecovalley BD, told The Business Standard that the company started making products from areca leaves two and a half years ago to promote the use of eco-friendly products over single-use plastic. "We initially imported machines from India, but now manufacture our own machines in Bangladesh for Tk8-9 lakh, down from Tk11-12 lakh previously."

He claims that the domestically-produced machines are superior to imported machines. "Now, we provide technical support to other entrepreneurs for producing areca leaves products."

Ecovalley BD has so far supplied machines to four other entrepreneurs in Chattogram and Bhola, who are now each producing more than 1,000 crockery products per day.

In addition, nine more factories in Firozpur, Bagerhat, Tangail, Mymensingh, Panchagarh, Cox's Bazar, Lakshipur, and Shariatpur are also manufacturing areca leaf crockery products.

Md Kamal, another founder of the company, said that the increasing popularity of areca leaf crockery products among consumers has led to widespread adoption by restaurants in Bangladesh. This has reduced the need for the company to spend as much time on product promotion.

Instead, Ecovalley BD is now focusing on creating entrepreneurs and boosting production capacity to meet growing demand both domestically and internationally. The company is planning to do this by transitioning to a cooperative business model.

Ecovalley BD is currently manufacturing three crore spoons for a yoghourt processing company in the country, in addition to its normal production of areca leaf crockery products.

At least 15-18 factories in Bangladesh are now manufacturing 3-3.5 lakh crockery products per day, which is equivalent to half a million products per year.

Recently, areca leaf crockery products were used to serve food to thousands of guests at a wedding ceremony in Chattogram. The organiser of the event, Humayun Kabir, said that he chose to use these products because he is aware of the adverse environmental impact of single-use plastics.

Ecovalley BD has invested Tk25 lakh in its factory and currently employs 20 people.

Entrepreneurs at Ecovalley BD say that their eco-friendly food plates are only slightly more expensive, Tk10 per piece, than plastic plates, which currently sell for Tk7 each. Ecovalley BD's plates are also 100% natural, biodegradable, compostable, oven-safe, water-resistant, freezer safe, and do not react with food or liquid when used.

It costs 50 paisa to collect an areca leaf from the garden and Tk3 to transport, clean, dry, and transport it to the factory. Three products can be made from one leaf, and a plate is currently being sold at the wholesale level for Tk6, which means that the income from one leaf is Tk18, they said.

The entrepreneurs have requested low-interest loans, reduced electricity price, and special incentives for the development of the industry.

More than 50 chain shops and restaurants in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Cox's Bazar are now regularly using areca leaf crockery products.

Entrepreneurs are currently producing 20 types of products, including food plates, food boxes, bowls, breakfast plates, buffet plates, pizza trays, common trays, sauce cups, tea cups, and spoons.