The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) would join hands with the Hill Area Development Agency (HADA) to launch a multi-crore fruit based project in Wayanad to tap the commercial potential of various types of fruits growing in the hill district.
The proposed project envisages procuring various types of fruits from farmers and to market it after producing value added products from it, P. Rajendran, Associate director of Research, Regional Agriculture Research Station, Ambalavayal, told The Hindu .
The project would be launched at an estimated cost of Rs.2 crore by the end of August. The KAU had signed a memorandum of understanding with the HADA in this regard recently, Dr. Rajendran, who is also the head of the Wayanad Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), under the KAU, said.
At Ambalavayal
A fruit processing unit would be set up on the premises of the KVK at Ambalavayal and each procuring centres would be opened at four block panchayat headquarters in the district, N.D. Appachan, vice-chairman, HADA, said.
The climate in the district is quite suitable to cultivate the sub-tropical fruit plants such as strawberry, lychee, avocado and rambutan ,apart from the indigenous fruits, and many farmers have started the commercial cultivation of litchi, strawberry and avocado, Dr. Rajendran said adding that the project would be a great help to the farming community.
The fruit processing unit would have the facilities to process all the locally available fruits including jackfruit, avocado, mango, lychee, plantain, passion fruit and strawberry.
Farmer self help groups would be constituted soon to ensure the availability of fruits for the project, he said. It is expected to provide job opportunities to 100 youths in the first phase of the project, he added.
“We are also exploring the feasibility of constituting a farmer producer company under the project to ensure the availability of fruits and marketing of the value added products,” Dr. Rajendran added.
The project will be launched at an estimated cost of
Rs.2 crore by the end of August.
