Kerala start-up wins accolades for transforming tender coconut waste into opportunity

In the coconut-rich region of Kerala, a start-up named Pocket Grower is turning waste into opportunity and wealth. Founded by Shanu Manoharan and his wife Jisha S.J., this Agri start-up from Karigannoor, Kollam, focuses on recycling discarded tender coconut husks and transforming them into a nutrient-rich, soil-free potting mixture for plants. The idea came about to address the issue of improper disposal of coconut waste and the need for a high-quality potting mixture.

The business, now incubated at K-AgTech LaunchPad, a Rural Business Incubation Centre at the College of Agriculture, is supported by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). What sets the tender coconut waste apart is its ability to provide the necessary aeration, drainage, and moisture retention for plant growth, making it lightweight and easy to handle. The raw material, mainly sourced from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts, is abundant and easily accessible.

Pocket Grower processes around 10 tonnes of the waste monthly, with significant potential for expansion, given the high demand. The venture recently won first place in a contest organized at the Kerala Agricultural University’s College of Agriculture, Vellayani, showcasing the innovative solution to a common environmental problem. Allan Thomas, the director of K-AgTech LaunchPad, emphasizes how such rural incubation can effectively combine a local environmental challenge with entrepreneurial ideas and marketable solutions.

The incubation center will assist Pocket Grower in refining and strengthening its business model, market linkage, and preparing for scale-up. Aparna Radhakrishnan, the CEO of K-AgTech LaunchPad, envisions the support needed to take the start-up to the next level.