Pune: The Maharashtra government is determined to promote farmers' fruit crops by ensuring good market prices and encouraging global branding.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and farmers to take the initiative to brand fruits like grapes, bananas, Alphonso mangoes, and pomegranates on an international level. He assured that the state government would provide all possible support for these efforts.
Pawar was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a new sub-market yard and the inauguration of a modern fruit and vegetable handling facility center at Jalochi, under the Magnet project, funded by the Maharashtra government and the Asian Development Bank. The event was organized by the Baramati Agricultural Produce Market Committee.
During his address, Pawar highlighted the Rs 1,100 crore Magnet project, which is being implemented in the state between 2021-22 and 2027-28. He mentioned that the state is focusing on crops such as pomegranates, guavas, grapes, bananas, and mangoes, with the aim of providing farmers with better market opportunities, finding export-quality buyers, and ensuring proper storage.
The newly inaugurated fruit and vegetable handling facility in Baramati, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, will benefit both farmers and consumers.
Pawar emphasized the importance of small and marginal farmers coming together to focus on collective sales. He also suggested the introduction of advanced research from abroad, value chain integration, and insurance protection to support the sector.
Export promotion, encouragement for production units, and the construction of cold chain storage facilities to reduce vegetable wastage in the state were also mentioned as key areas of focus.
The new sub-market yard in Zargadwadi, which will contribute to the region's development, was built on 21 acres of land provided by the government at a nominal cost, saving Rs 8 crore for the Baramati Agricultural Produce Market Committee.
The fruit and vegetable handling facility includes modern cold storage units, pre-cooling equipment, grading, sorting, and packing lines for various fruits, along with other advanced infrastructure. These facilities are expected to enhance storage and marketing capabilities for local produce.