CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday flagged off five Mobile Processing Units (MPUs) to process fruits and vegetables, to make value-added products so that the farmers can get a higher income. The MPUs have been designed by Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology.
“We will give one unit each to Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Coimbatore. One MPU each will be available with the IIFPT’s office at Thanjavur and with the State Director of Horticulture. The farmers can contact the district collector or an official of the State Agricultural Marketing for availing the mobile unit. This mobile unit will go to the farms and make a puree out of the tomato in excess quantity,” Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi told reporters at the secretariat.
On the process for making value-added products by the MPUs, Bedi said, “First, the tomatoes will be washed and boiled. Later, they will be peeled using another machine and thereafter, the juice will be extracted. Then the juice will be bottled using another machine.”