The State Government is in the process of identifying 100 acres each in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai, for setting up Agri Export Terminal Markets, Minister for Rural Industries and Animal Husbandry Pongalur N. Palanisamy, said here on Friday.
Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of a seminar on promoting agri exports at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), he said the terminals would include facilities from ground level to value-addition that would help the farmer get maximum price for his produce.
Conceding that land was difficult to come by, he said that the land which was available was very expensive.
Vice-Chancellor of TNAU P. Murugesa Boopathi said if 100 acres was not possible to acquire within the city limits, a viable area easily accessible from the city like Kancheepuram near Chennai, Virudhunagar near Madurai and Perundurai near Coimbatore might be considered for the terminals.
“Such facilities will be provided by the Government. But, instead of business houses, farmers themselves should turn entrepreneurs and businessmen to utilise these services to enhance their income,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
He further added that if farmers put to full use the technologies introduced by the university, they would be able to increase their yield three or four-fold to enable them export the surplus. High yield and good quality output would ensure that the produce exported was world-class, he added.
Pointing out that cold storage facilities in Pongalur, Hosur, Krishnagiri and Theni had been set up for the benefit of farmers, he said private parties should come forward to set up such facilities by making use of the subsidy (35 per cent to 50 per cent) extended by the Government.
Out of the country’s agri export revenue of Rs. 58,959 crore in 2006-07, Tamil Nadu contributed Rs. 8,300 crore.
