The stalk of water hyacinth, considered as menace to water bodies, has been found to be a very good natural fibre.

"It has to be cut and dried and can be woven into baskets, mats, bags, furniture etc," says Manoj Das, DGM of North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi).

Water hyacinth grows very fast and destroys the crops and fisheries and had no use except for compost manure on potato crops.

In countries like Indonesia and Thailand, high value furniture, bags and other products are made from it.

In India, NEDFi has taken the initiative to use this 'so-far-useless' plant for useful means.

"We have hired a trainer to train local artisans in the use of water hyacinth and develop products like dustbins, laundry bags, mats etc.," Das said.

The cost of dried water hyacinth now comes at a cost - fetching up to Rs 50 a kg.

Another curious addition to NEDFi's product range is banana bark products.

"Yoga mats from banana fibre were a craze at our recent exhibition in Greater Noida," says Das, adding the response from foreign buyers was even more. National buyers like Fab India have also shown interest in 'kauna' products from Manipur and bamboo products from Tripura.

"These hand-crafted water hyacinth furniture cater to the middle-upper class lifestyle in the form of other products like straw boxes, basketry, stationery and photo frames," says Das.

NEDFi's emphasis is on 100 per cent natural products.

According to analysts, the main problem with the northeastern handicrafts exports is lack of production capacity and ability to cater to the needs of international buyers with uniform quality in a time bound manner.