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Agro-based industries sought in Bidar

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR NOV. 2. The Bidar Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the Government to take steps to set up agro-based industries to expedite the economic development of the district.

In a proposal submitted to the Principal Secretary of Industries and Commerce at a meeting held in Bangalore recently to discuss the setting up of two special economic zones in Bidar and Raichur, the president of the chamber, B.G. Shetkar, said the district, which accounted for over 65 per cent of the State's output of pulses such as Bengal gram, green gram, black gram, and toor dal, would benefit from agro-based industries.

Mr. Shetkar said milk processing units and dairy-based industries should be set up in the district. He said the production of milk was slated to go up as most of the members of self-help groups in the district were taking to dairy farming.

He also noted that the export of fruits and vegetables could be taken up on a large scale in the district.

Industries to prepare byproducts of apples, mango, pomegranate, guava, and custard apple should be set up immediately, Mr. Shetkar said. Farmers should be encouraged to grow cashew, tamarind, and citrus fruits, he added.

He also demanded that a national-level biotechnology and tissue culture park be set up in Bidar to harness the rich biodiversity of the district. This would enable farmers to adopt innovations and developments in the field of biotechnology, he said.

Citing the example of Naranja Cooperative Sugar Factory which had started exporting sugar, he said sugar, jaggery, and byproducts produced by sugarcane crushing units such as ethanol could be exported if due encouragement was given by the Government. Tourism promotion should be taken up on priority as the district had many historical monuments and places of cultural importance, he said.

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