In a significant development for the agricultural sector of Andhra Pradesh, the state's first Banana Integrated Pack House was inaugurated at the Market Yard in Pulivendula. The facility, inaugurated by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, is designed to enhance trading opportunities for local banana growers, enabling them to secure better market prices. The inauguration highlighted the consistent demand for bananas, a crop predominantly cultivated in the Kadapa and Anantapur regions, noted for its quality, taste, and variety, and sought after in international markets.
The pack house, established with an investment of Rs 200 mln and covering 51,500 square feet, has the capacity to handle 32 tonnes of bananas and sweet oranges daily. It features dedicated cleaning tubs for banana bunches, grading facilities for sweet oranges, a 45kw cooling chamber, a 30.6kw cold storage, and six cooling cells, allowing farmers to store produce for up to 40 days. Additionally, a 60-ton capacity weigh bridge has been constructed to facilitate the weighing of produce. The Chief Minister, emphasizing the benefits to farmers, noted that the facility would ensure sustained income and better pricing for crops.
Source: deccanchronicle.com