TIRUCHI

Four more primary processing centres for banana and two meant for onions in the district are to be handed over to Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) or joint ventures of FPOs and companies engaged in food processing business through competitive bidding.

The Department of Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business had established six primary processing centres for banana and five such centres for onion in the district under the Supply Chain Management Scheme. Two of the centres meant for banana located at Manachanallur and M.Puthur have already been handed over to FPOs and are functional.

Now two more centres located at Pidaramangalam and Arasalur and four primary processing centres situated at Manachanallur, Thathaiyengarpet, Uppilliyapuram (south) and P.K.Agaram are to be handed over to FPOs or food processing companies, which come forward to have joint ventures with FPOs, Collector S. Sivarasu said.

The primary processing centres for banana is equipped with dryers, cold storage, ripening chambers and 60 ton weigh bridges. The centres for onion have been equipped with facilities for sorting, peeling, packing, godown and 60 ton weigh bridges. FPOs can utilise the facilities to process and market their produce.

The Department of Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business have already called for tenders and interested FPOs or joint venture companies can bid for the same before January 20. Further details can be had by visiting the portals: www.tenders.tn.gov.in or www.tn.gov.in or www.tnagrisnet.tn.gov.in or from the Deputy Director of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, Tiruchi, Mr.Sivarasu said.

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