Nendran Banana — Kerala's Plantain

Nendran is Kerala's most important banana variety — a large, starchy plantain (Musa paradisiaca AAB group) that is the primary ingredient for banana chips (upperi). The raw green nendran is sliced thin on mandoline slicers and fried in coconut oil with salt — creating the iconic Kerala chips. Kerala produces 8–10 lakh tonnes nendran annually. Ripe nendran is eaten boiled with rice or as a porridge thickening agent; over-ripe nendran is dried and ground into powder for babies. Trivandrum, Ernakulam, and Thrissur districts are the main cultivation areas. Nendran chips are exported to the Indian diaspora worldwide — major brand: Haldirams Kerala Division, Subhiksha. The chips industry employs 80,000+ women in frying and packaging cooperatives. Fresh nendran bunches (kadali) are sold ₹120–180/kg at retail. Nendran has ceremonial importance in Onam sadya and is offered at temples. Kerala Banana Board supports cooperative marketing.