Philippine company Palm View Trade has introduced banana powder and meal feed, a feed and energy source alternative that aqua feed suppliers are already using to take advantage of their natural feed pellet binding properties.

In the light of skyrocketing grain prices, feed mills are seeking alternative raw materials that have similar nutrient value but at a lesser cost.

Among the most common alternatives to traditional feeds are bananas. According to the FAO, some 12-15 million tonnes of bananas and 7-9 million tonnes of plantains could be available each year for use as livestock feed.

According to company founder Vincent Y. Garcia, aqua feed and animal feed companies in the Philippines are now using 6-12 percent banana meal and banana powder in their products. Banana meal, he says, has a crude protein content of 5-6 percent, crude fibre content of 2-4 percent and starch content of 60-70 percent.

In the same vein, banana powder''s unique gelatinising properties make it an excellent pellet binder. The company uses only fresh, green sun dried Cavendish bananas as its raw material.

Feed accounts for 60-80 percent of livestock production costs, the energy component of feed makes up 60-70 percent of this amount with protein accounting for another 14 to 20 percent. Since animals eat primarily to satisfy their energy needs, their feed energy source must be available, adequate and inexpensive. This makes banana meal and banana powder an ideal alternative feed that is consistently available all year round.

Leveraging this abundant feed raw material, Palm View Trade processes bananas into banana meal and powder. The company currently exports banana-based feed products in 25kg and 50kg bags to South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.