Jaggery unit of FPO commissioned in Thanjavur

Two value addition units for agricultural produce inaugurated in Thanjavur district, funded by Union govt. programme, to help farmers get better returns.

Two units for value addition in agricultural produce set up by Thanjavur Coconut Farmers Producers’ Company were inaugurated in Thanjavur district on Tuesday.

One of the units is a jaggery manufacturing unit funded under Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM), a Union government programme implemented by the State Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business. The unit, established at a cost of ₹39.44 lakh, will produce jaggery from the sugarcane cultivated by members of the FPO in the region. The other unit will produce value added food products.

The units were inaugurated by R. Shankar Narayanan, Chief General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Chennai, in the presence of G. Vidhya, Deputy Director, Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, and V. Manivannan, General Manager, District Industries Centre, Thanjavur.

Inaugurating the units, Mr. Narayanan underlined the importance of value addition in agriculture produce for ensuring better returns to farmers. Farmers producers organisations should aim to have a minimum of 1,000 members, with a share capital of ₹2,000 each, so as to function effectively.

They should function in a democratic manner focussing on professional management and marketing. Apart from promoting FPOs, NABARD was also extending financial support to visit exhibitions across the country to gain exposure on market trends and establish business linkages, he said.

According to K .Raja, consultant of the company, the units for value addition definitely help farmers in the locality get better returns for their produce. The FPO is planning to establish a masala powder manufacturing and edible oil extraction units soon, he said.