Tamil Nadu : Maize and millets technology centre coming up in Perambalur
Tamil Nadu will commission a ₹4 crore maize and millet technology-cum-market promotion centre in Perambalur by August. Funded under the World Bank-backed scheme, it will support value addition, training, processing and storage facilities, benefiting millet and maize farmers through reduced post-harvest losses and improved incomes.
A technology-cum- market promotion centre for maize and millets will soon be commissioned at Mavilangai in Perambalur district.
The centre, being established at a cost of ₹4 crore sanctioned under the World Bank- funded Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation Scheme, would seek to improve the livelihood of maize and millet growing farmers through value addition of their produce.
Apart from producing value added millet products, the centre will also provide capacity building training on value addition of maize and millets to farmers, self help groups, farmer interest groups and farmer producer companies.
Millets are cultivated on about 8.66 lakh hectares in the state, with a production of 30 lakh metric tonnes a year. They account for about 33 percent of the State’s foodgrain production and important for food security at the regional level. Yet, millets occupy a relatively lower position in agriculture, observed officials of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business.
If millets are processed, they would fetch a much higher price for farmers. However, awareness on value addition was low among farmers. Post harvest loss increase due to poor facilities and knowledge about processing. Hence, the establishment of the millet processing centre at the farm gate level would help farmers in the region and contribute towards minimising the post harvest losses and value addition, the officials said.
The centre was sanctioned for Perambalur as the Lower Vellar Sub Basin in the district was a major maize and millets producing belt. Maize alone was being raised on about 75,000 hectares a year in Perambalur district. Neighbouring Tiruchi is also a major maize growing district in the state.
The technology centre would include a grading and sorting hall, besides a storage godown. It will have machines such as millet polisher, de-huller, gravity separator, pulverisers and flour sifter besides a semi automatic packing machine. With these, the unit would be able to produce millet flour, flakes and puffed millets. Some entrepreneurs who now do the processing at Madurai from Perambalur could utilise the facility once it is commissioned.
With growing awareness on nutritious food and health among a large section of people, the unit was expected to do well and help cater to the rising demand for millet based products, the officials said
District Collector Sharanya Ari recently inspected the progress of works on the project instructed the officials to commission the unit at the earliest.
“About 90% of the project has been completed so far and installation of machinery were underway. The unit is likely to be commissioned by August,” S. Deiveegan, Deputy Director of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, Perambalur.
To Read more about Maize News continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : The Hindu
