Alathur Chips

Alathur Chips

The thin slices prepared in pure coconut oil can easily lure permanent consumers and most of them become tempted to be the brand ambassadors even

Though the comprehensive industrialization in Palakkad has not satisfactorily taken off, there are a large number of small and informal ventures coming to operation in various parts of the district. One such is the banana chips venture in Alathur, which is moving in to broad and abroad markets.

Choice Chips

The thin slices prepared in pure coconut oil can easily lure permanent consumers and most of them become tempted to be the brand ambassadors even.

Alathur was once the centre of a cluster of beedi companies. Those were days many buyers came from Thrissur, Kannur, Kozhikode etc. Later there occurred decline of beedi industry and for an alternate job opportunity a few people strayed in to banana chips making.

Subsequently banana cultivation sprouted up along with paddy cultivation. The beginning was from a Muslim family. Opportunities became righter when Melarkod, a nearby place developed as a station of midway trade between Pollachi and Thrissur. Alathur chips could be easily transported to elarkkod and from there to Tamilnadu and southern parts of Kerala.

Today, the Palakkad - Thrissur National highway has become a busy route and the passers by can see rows of private vehicles parked on the margin to buy chips. Nowadays nucleus of sale is near the Mangalam Bridge. This is especially visible during the Sabarimala season and the fame of Alathur chips' spread in to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and other States.

Much of it is in the making. The thinly sliced banana is washed and cleaned up in a particular way and that method they keep it as a trade secret. Not only chips but the common items like sarkara upperi, varuthupperi and Jackfruit chips also are prepared here.

Earlier people of Palakkad have a craze for chips from kozhikode. Now Alathur chips is a brand name, which is sold at Rs 120 to 130 per Kg. The selection of Banana, Coconut oil, the method of slicing and the frying time that done meticulously has led to the amazing success of Alathur chips.