The Nadukkara agro processing plant near Muvattupuzha, engaged in pineapple processing, will soon have its own plastic bottle-making unit as part of efforts being made by the management to improve the profitability of the unit.
The unit is likely to be established by the end of February, with ₹4.5 crore being set apart from Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana funds, company sources said.
They added that the bottle-making plant, now being assembled, would have the capacity to manufacture 90 bottles per minute. The facility will be utilised to produce bottles to package the JIVE brand of fruit drinks. Work for other companies requiring plastic bottles will also be taken up at the unit, sources said.
Eldho Abraham, MLA, who is also a board member, said the Government was making efforts to turn around the unit, and the bottle-making unit is part of the programme.
He added that efforts were also being made to make available working capital for the company to augment its operations. The financial obligations of the Nadukkara plant to the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam have been addressed, and it will now be possible to leverage the fruit processing company’s landholding to make working capital available.
Replacing old machinery is another area the management is focusing on to enhance the operations of the fruit processing unit, the MLA said. It is estimated that around ₹10 crore may be needed to replace old machinery.
Meanwhile, there is a proposal to return the company to farmers on a 70:30 basis with the Government holding a smaller share. A senior Government official has been entrusted with the task of looking at the proposal, and once the recommendation is received, it will go to the State Cabinet for approval, Mr. Abraham added.