The State government has begun a search to identify 26 acres of land to set up three integrated processing units at a cost of ₹190 crore in East Godavari district. The units will give a fillip to the marketing and value addition of coconut, banana, mango and millet in the district.
The Central government has given its in-principle nod to financially aid the establishment of the processing units, which would procure horticulture crops through the YSR Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) at remunerative prices.
Deputy Director of Horticulture (East Godavari) and A.P. Food Processing Society S. Rammohan told The Hindu that the State government and Centre will fund the project together.
“The coconut integrated processing unit will be set up in Amalapuram Parliamentary segment at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore on a ten-acre campus to produce nearly 20 varieties of products from coconut. In Rajamahendravaram Parliamentary segment, a banana integrated processing unit will be set up on an eight-acre campus at a cost of ₹75 crore. In Kakinada Parliamentary segment, a mango and millet integrated processing unit will be set up on an eight-acre campus,” Mr. Rammohan said.
“The RBKs have been told to identify a half-acre land for procurement of coconut, banana, millet and mango to be sent to the respective processing units in the future,” Mr. Rammohan said.
Statistics from the Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society show that the annual production of coconut is above 724 million nuts in East Godavari district, where the total extent of land under horticulture is above 1.72 lakh hectares by the end of Kharif season 2020-21.
