The first horticultural crop processing cluster of the State, including a mango processing unit, will be set up in Ramanagaram district on a PPP model, with an estimated investment of ₹500 crore, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said on Tuesday.
Out of the 40 acres of land identified in Bhairapattana, 15 acres will be used for the project in the first phase. The mango unit is to be established on about four acres and the Union government has been asked to provide ₹10 crore, he said.
On the remaining 11 acres, five horticultural crops processing units would be set up. The cluster has the objective of facilitating farmers to add value to their produce and an expression of interest for this would be invited soon, he said.
The government is expecting an estimated investment of ₹500 crore for the project and private players keen to come forward would be given a subsidy of more than 40%, the Minister said.
With regard to the construction of a high-tech silk market, he said 20 acres for this purpose would be given on the premises of the sericulture training institute located in Ramanagaram. NABARD has kept reserved ₹75 crore for the project and it has been announced in the Budget also, he said.
