ANANTAPUR: Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture and Civil Supplies N. Raghuveera Reddy has asked entrepreneurs to set up food processing units in Anantapur district to help horticulture farmers. He has also assured them all logistic support from the State Government.

Speaking at a workshop on "Establishment of food-processing industries and export promotion in Anantapur district" here on Thursday, he said food processing units were a long-felt need of the farmers in the district. Horticulture was spreading fast with the assistance provided under National Horticulture Mission and AP Micro Irrigation Project, he stated.

Promising all help to the entrepreneurs if they came up with specific packages, he said the district was well connected to all parts of the country. Sufficient water would also be provided to the units, he said.

Marketing problem

Admitting that there was marketing problem for horticulture produce in the district he asked the entrepreneurs to encourage contract farming of horticulture crops, as was being done successfully in several States. Contract farming of sugarcane and oil palm in some parts of the State were yielding good results and was beneficial to both farmers and entrepreneurs.

In Maharashtra, onion was being produced in the same method in which the companies (units) were providing seed, technical support, inputs and minimum support price to the farmers. Tomato was also being cultivated in the contract farming system in some States, where Rs. 2.5 per kg was being assured throughout the year to farmers, the minister mentioned.

About 30 per cent of sweet lime produced in Anantapur district was being wasted due to lack of proper marketing and processing facilities, the Minister noted. The district had about 8.2 lakh tonnes of fruit production per annum.

State among top five

Commissioner of Horticulture A.C. Puneta said proper marketing, storage and processing facilities for horticulture crops would change the destiny of the district. He mentioned that AP was among top five producers of several fruits and spices in the country.

Commissioner of Industries S. Bhattacharya said Anantapur was strategically located between three major metro cities of the country -- Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai and had very high potential for growth of horticulture. Only 12 pc of fruit production in the country was being processed now, he noted.

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