Source: Sobhapati Samoni/Manipur Mail
Imphal, November 21:
The Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), a society under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of India, is promoting the setting up of a new company - Exotic Juices Ltd - at Mao in Manipur to encourage the processing of passion fruit in the area.
The passion fruit processing plant, project at Mao, is based on the latest know how to manufacture aseptic juices and concentrates from passion fruit and orange.
It has generated tremendous interest amongst the passion fruit growers of the area.
In the new company the local farmers through the Good Samaritan Social Service Association shall hold majority share.
SFAC and NEDFi are the equity partners.
The first board meeting of the proposed company was held at Mao recently, with SFAC managing director GS Dutt, IAS, as chairman.
The board reviewed the current status of the project and took important decisions in respect of project implementation, manpower recruitment and training, fruit procurement from farmers, its transportation to project site and the remuneration to be given to the farmers, an official press release said.
Dutt mentioned during the meeting that with the SFAC's decision to fully support an agri-clinic at the project site, to provide extension and other required support to the passion fruit and other horticultural growers of the area and marketing tie-ups for export and domestic marketing of the passion fruit and orange juice, stage is now set to herald an integrated development of the area in particular and the state as a whole.
Meanwhile, a grand programme for creating mass awareness for the integrated development of passion fruit was also organized recently.