Units making jaggery in Mandya are all set to get support under “One District One Product” scheme and steps will be taken to encourage the “Alemane” operators to switch over to chemical-free jaggery production adopting latest technologies, which is expected to go a long way in exporting jaggery from the State’s sugar bowl, improving farm income.
At a meeting held in Mandya on Tuesday attended by Minister in charge of Mandya district Narayana Gowda, Minister for Cooperation S.T. Somashekar and Mandya MP Sumalatha and others, the district officials said chemical-free jaggery production will help farmers improve their income besides increasing the chances of their produce being chosen for export. The scheme that has chosen jaggery as the product from Mandya is expected to support units.
‘One District One Product’
Under Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme, micro and small food processing units are being encouraged and promoted and ‘One District One Product’ is one of the aims of the scheme, the meeting was told.
Ms. Sumalatha said organic jaggery from Mandya is yet to be branded. This needs promotion and marketing. If Mandya jaggery makers want more price, it should be export quality. Committees set up for improving the quality and production can look into these issues.
Mr. Narayana Gowda said all support would be extended to jaggery makers as the district has over 500 units.
Mr. Somashekar said the government was committed to “Alemane” rejuvenation and asked the Deputy Commissioner to send a report on the jaggery making units setting up a committee to look into the needs of the units for their renovation. Steps will be taken to include the need for allocation in the ensuing State budget for the jaggery making units if the report was submitted at the earliest.
Discussions had taken place on jaggery units which are expected to get ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh as financial aid for their rejuvenation. A sum of ₹25 crore to ₹30 crore loan would be raised for the units under Atma Nirbhar Bharat, he said.
Mandya Alemane Association president Somashekar Gowda said sugarcane should get a suitable price from the government.
Srikante Gowda, MLC, sought licences for jaggery making units as no bank would give loans to them unless they are certified by a government agency. The units must first get basic facilities and later the scheme can be implemented for their rejuvenation, he said.
