Army sets up fruit processing unit in western Asom

Guwahati, Apr 11 (UNI) The fruit growers of Asom's western district of Goalpara have found unexpected succour from the Army to help revive their fruit production.

The men in uniform have come to the aid of the tribal fruit growers, who have been deprived their rightful value from the various types of indigenous fruits they sell in the market.

The 2/1 GR Grokha Rifles, deployed at Lakhipur in Goalpara district, set up a fruit-processing unit to tap the rich diversity of fruit grown in the region which encompasses the Goalpara district of Asom and the adjoining West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, defence sources said.

The Rabha and Garo tribes here are mostly dependent on fruit cultivation, which are the main cash crops of the region.

However, owing to various factors like lack of marketing facilities, presence of middlemen and absence of preservation facilities of perishable fruits, the growers, especially the pineapple cultivators of Meghalaya, were not able to get return of their produces.

The Army stepped in to help the growers earn maximum share of their produce through the benefits of modern technology. The Army has installed a wide array of fruit processing and packing machines, which though manually operated, had the potential be electrically operated with the attachment of a motor.

The fruit processing plant was recently inaugurated by the president of the Rongsai Bazar Committee Britison Rabha, in the presence of Brigadier R K Lakhanpaul, Commander, 11 Mountain Brigade.

UNI