KRISHNAGIRI: Five integrated mango processing parks will be established in Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri, setting the region up to become the mango industrial corridor of Tamil Nadu, according to the state government's Vetri Tamizhagam Vision document.
According to the document, as a part of developmental plans for western TN, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri will be announced as the mango industrial corridor, following which five integrated mango processing parks will be established in both districts, in which cold storage facilities, mango pulp production units will be created, along with infrastructure for direct export of mangoes.
Similarly, a value addition centre for mangoes will also be established and cargo transport facilities will also be created to directly transport mangoes produced in Krishnagiri to airports in Chennai and Bengaluru for export.
Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts cultivate mangoes across 51,000 hectares and there are 24 mango pulp industries located in the former.
K M Soundararajan, a farmer and president of Mango Farmers' Federation, said, "The details of Vetri Tamizhagam Vision is a welcome one and if the said points are implemented, then the TVK government is the best governance for us.
Earlier, we asked for one pulp unit per block but now the Vision document says five for two districts which is not bad. For the past five years, mango farmers in Krishnagiri district have been reeling under severe stress due to low yield because of climatic conditions. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should also eliminate corruption from the agriculture sector."
Seconding him, E Madhavan, general secretary, Krishnagiri Mango Pulp Processors' Federation, said that, "We are partially welcoming this Vision document. The state government should take efforts for more consumption of mango pulp by people by which mango farmers and pulp industries will benefit.
Also, for the past two years, we were unable to sell existing pulp stock. This year we have around 1.5-2 lakh tonnes of pulp, but last year, we produced around 3 lakh tonnes. Mango juice should be added to the mid-day meal scheme."
Officials from the horticulture department told TNIE that they had sent inputs to the state government and were unaware of details regarding the announced proposal by the government.