Kamal Nath's ministry kick-start projects in his constituency

New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched several projects in Chhindwara, constituency of Minister Kamal Nath, to boost agriculture and horticulture sectors with a view to benefitting the farming community and generating employment.

A slew of projects being set up by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Spices Board, both controlled by the Ministry, will '' benefit farmers and allow them to get a better price for their produce, apart from generating employment in this sector,'' Mr Kamal Nath said.

APEDA and the Spices Board are setting up pack houses, collection centres and spices park in the Madhya Pradesh's constituency of the Minister. One pack house each being set up at Umranala and Saunsar will handle oranges and other fruits and vegetables to provide value-addition to fresh produce through cold chain, washing and packaging.

APEDA will provide Rs 8.9 crore for the pack houses and the project will be implemented by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED), an official said today. The Umranala pack house is set for commissioning the year-end, while the one at Saunsar will be completed in a year's time.

APEDA is also funding Rs 5.5 crore to set up seven collection centres at Chhindwara, Mohkhed, Saunsar, Bichua, Parasia, Singodi and Chauria. These centres will provide primary sorting and grading services before fresh agri-produce is taken to pack houses. The centres are expected to be operational in 3-4 months. '' These projects will benefit farmers and allow them to get a better price for their produce, apart from generating employment in this sector,'' Mr Kamal Nath said.

The Board will set up a 9-acre spices park at Umranala and it has already acquired 6 acres. The park will provide facilities for dehydration of garlic products and coriander leaf, green chilli extracts and medicinal herbs and turmeric. The Rs 9.95 crore park will be funded under the ASIDE (Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports) scheme, the statement said. A world-class testing laboratory to be set up jointly by State Trading Corporation (STC) and Spices Board will be a part of the project.

NAFED will set up a seed processing unit at Kusmali at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore.

Meanwhile, the National Horticulture Mission had recently approved a Rs 5.91 crore proposal for rejuvenating 10,348 hectares of orange cultivation in area where it is afflicted with Gummosis (phytothora) disease in Chhindwara district. NAFED is conducting two training programme in pre and post-harvest management for farmers of oranges and vegetables in Chhindwara, while three such programmes will be taken up in the next 2-3 months, the statement added.

UNI