Anantapur: Fruit producers seek better infra to get remunerative price

Anantapur: The district is devoid of adequate infrastructure facilities like food processing units, packaging houses, ripening chambers, cold storages, warehouses and laboratories that test the presence of chemical residues in horticulture fruit varieties and facilitating their exports.

This void had been exposed during the corona lockdown crisis when crores of rupees worth horticulture produce had been thrown away on the roads in the absence of adequate cold storages and warehouses. "We have about 8 cold storages but going by the magnitude of produce we may need anywhere between 20-25 cold storages. Both horticulture fruits and agriculture produce including vegetables could be stored. Whenever the farmers fail to get remunerative price, they would preserve their produce in cold storages and not indulge in panic selling in times of crisis," says Horticulture Assistant Director Satish during an interaction with The Hans India.

The farmers are not coming forward to set up cold storages on their own due to investment problems despite Central government giving subsidies. The state government too is planning to set up cold storage units in all districts to cater to farmer needs.

More than 20 varieties of fruits are raised in the district and many of them are exported to countries abroad and to states within the country.

Mango and guava pulp are in great demand in the Western countries as the pulps of several fruits are used in fruit drinks making. "The district needs common facility centres and laboratories that vouch for chemical-free fruits supply to exporters," says Jabez David, a horticulture farmer of Garladinne mandal. An export promotion council should be set up in Rayalaseema as the region is a base for horticulture plantations, he opined.

More than 20 varieties of fruits are grown in the district. An estimated 1,86,604 acres are under horticulture cultivation in the district and 58,972 acres under vegetable cultivation. With Krishna water diversion to Rayalaseema through Handri Neeva project and recharging of borewells through the filling of village tanks, horticulture holds promise and is poised for expansion every year.

"The gross value of fruits exported every year from the district is Rs 8,000 crore. While investment on the plantations is Rs 400 crore, the production is to order of 40 lakh tonnes," says Deputy Director of Horticulture Subbarayudu.

The pomegranates raised here are highly esteemed in countries abroad and have great export value. Bananas are grown in Tadipatri, Yellanuru, Putluru, Battalapalle and farmers market their produce in Delhi as they have a tie-up with Delhi traders. Pomegranates are raised in Kanekal, Bommanahal, Kalyandurgam, Yellanur, Putluru, Rayadurgam, Tadipatri and Kuderu. Custard Apples are grown in Rayadurgam, Madakasira, Kambadur and Kalyandurgam.

Guava plantations are grown in Tadipatri, Pamidi, Puttalur, Bukkapatnam and Dharmavaram. Fig (anjuram) is cultivated in Kanekal, Bommanahal, Kalyandurgam, Rayanadurgam and Garladinne mandals. Mango plantations are spread across Kadiri,Mudigubba, Garladinne, Tadipatri, Yadiki and Vajrakarur mandals. Watermelons, Musk Melons and Honey Melons are raised in Raptadu, Garladinne, Kalyandurgam and Pamidi mandals.

Papayyas and sweet lime are grown in Yellanur, Potluru, Tadipatri, Uravakonda, Dharmavaram and Kuduru while grapes are cultivated in Uravakonda, Kuderu and Garladinne mandals. Most of the fruits are exported to Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and even to countries abroad USA, Middle East and to Western Countries.