Turning banana stems into biodegradable packaging

Fresh Del Monte is finding value in a familiar by-product of banana production. After bunches are harvested, the remaining pseudostem—the layered structure often called the banana stem—contains strong, cellulose-rich fibres. Instead of treating that material solely as farm waste, we can recover it for packaging, linking renewable fibre production with the need to reduce plastic use.

That approach is not simply a matter of replacing a plastic tray with a fibrous one. The material must be separated, dried, formed and tested for the job it will do, while the impacts of water use, chemicals, transport and disposal are considered. The result is a practical route from a wet agricultural residue to biodegradable packaging materials, provided the product and its end-of-life are designed together.

From agricultural residue to useful fibre

Harvested banana plants leave a substantial pseudostem behind. Its layered sheath can be cut into sections, rettted or softened, and mechanically separated into long fibres. Water helps loosen the plant material and clean the separated fibres; pressing and controlled drying then remove moisture. The dry fibre can be pulped, combined with suitable recycled or bio-based fibres, and formed into sheets, trays or protective components.

Processing close to the plantation matters because wet stems are heavy and spoil quickly. Keeping separation, drying and preliminary forming near the source can avoid transporting large volumes of low-value material. The fibres still need proper storage and quality controls, since contamination and inconsistent moisture can affect the finished package. Water stewardship is equally important: washing and pulping can consume water and create nutrient-rich effluent. Specialist partners such as Swiss Cleanwater Group can support more efficient, lower-impact processing where it is needed.

What the new packaging can replace

Banana fibre is not a universal replacement for every plastic or metal package. It is most relevant where the pack protects produce, holds its shape through normal handling and can tolerate the demands of the cold chain. Potential applications include moulded produce trays, protective liners, carton inserts and padded components. Each format needs its own strength, sealing and shelf-life performance.

The strongest case is for applications where renewable material improves waste outcomes without compromising food safety. The fibre may require coatings for moisture resistance, and those coatings, inks and adhesives influence how the finished pack behaves in recycling or composting. A clear end-of-life route and credible test results matter more than a broad environmental label.

Keeping the process circular and responsible

Making the package circular means accounting for every input and output. Retting, washing, drying and forming require energy, and some processes use chemicals. Where practical, recovered water can be treated and reused, heat from drying can support another process, and clean fibre offcuts can return to pulping. These measures require site-specific engineering and should be demonstrated through measured performance rather than assumed from the word “biodegradable”.

We also apply responsible sourcing principles across the wider business. This banana-fibre work is separate from palm oil, but our expectation that suppliers meet recognised certification standards is equally clear. Our sourcing policy requires RSPO-certified palm oil from every palm-oil supplier, illustrating how traceability, due diligence and supplier accountability reinforce sustainability commitments beyond a single product line.

A life-cycle assessment should compare the new pack with the incumbent on carbon, water, land use, transport and disposal. A fibre pack that travels farther or uses energy-intensive coatings may not deliver the expected environmental gain. Biodegradability must also be verified under relevant conditions: a material that breaks down in an industrial compost heap should not be described as suitable for a household compost bin.

Protecting ecosystems around the farms

Fresh Del Monte’s agricultural landscapes can support more than food production. Banana plants need soil nutrients, water and careful pest management, while surrounding native vegetation provides habitat for insects, birds and other wildlife. Retaining native plants, restoring tree corridors and monitoring protected areas help maintain ecological resilience alongside agricultural output.

Fresh Del Monte’s work supporting local beekeepers through habitat restoration on company lands is a practical example of that wider stewardship. It supports pollinators, strengthens biodiversity and creates value from conservation rather than separating ecological health from food production. The same principle applies where banana residues are processed: waste recovery should improve, rather than weaken, the surrounding environment.

A practical path into Australian markets

Australian growers in Queensland and the Northern Territory produce bananas throughout the year, giving processors a dependable local supply of stems. Further south, Melbourne and Sydney supermarkets often receive fruit in rigid plastic trays or sleeves alongside loose produce. Turning those packs into renewable fibre packaging would affect a familiar household waste stream, but the new material must survive long-distance freight, humid storage and rapid temperature changes without compromising the fruit.

Regulation sets the conditions for commercial adoption. Australia’s National Packaging Covenant and state and territory packaging bans are increasing pressure on unnecessary and difficult-to-recover packaging. Food-contact components must comply with applicable requirements under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, while compostability claims require evidence under relevant Australian and New Zealand standards, including AS 4736 for industrial compostability and AS 5810 for soil-biodegradable plastics. Local council rules differ for green-waste collection and commercial compost acceptance, and many households separate food scraps without first checking whether packaging belongs in the organics stream. A certification mark therefore cannot guarantee that a consumer can place a pack in a particular bin.

A successful circular packaging model depends on evidence from the whole life of the product, not just the origin of its fibre. That means verified feedstock, measured environmental impacts, food-safety and shelf-life testing, and a realistic route through Australian collection and composting systems.

The practical takeaway for Australian retailers and suppliers is to treat banana-stem packaging as a tested system—feedstock, processing, performance and disposal included—rather than as a substitute chosen on appearance alone.