TN plans mango industrial corridor in Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri; 5 processing parks proposed
Krishnagiri, Aug 5
The Tamil Nadu government plans to develop Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts as the state's mango industrial corridor, with five integrated mango processing parks proposed as part of its Vetri Tamizhagam Vision document.
The initiative, aimed at strengthening the agricultural and food-processing economy of western Tamil Nadu, envisages an integrated ecosystem for mango cultivation, processing, value addition, storage and exports in the two major mango-producing districts.
According to the Vision document, the five processing parks will be equipped with cold storage facilities and mango pulp manufacturing units. Infrastructure will also be developed to facilitate direct exports, potentially providing growers and processors better access to domestic and international markets. A dedicated mango value-addition centre is also proposed.
Cargo transportation facilities will be strengthened to enable mangoes produced in Krishnagiri to be transported directly to airports in Chennai and Bengaluru for export.
Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri together have around 51,000 hectares under mango cultivation. Krishnagiri alone has 24 mango pulp processing industries, making the region one of Tamil Nadu's important centres for mango production and processing.
Mango Farmers' Federation president K.M. Soundararajan welcomed the proposals and said their effective implementation could provide a major boost to farmers.
He said growers had earlier sought one mango pulp processing unit in every block, but the proposal for five integrated parks across the two districts was nevertheless encouraging.
Soundararajan said mango farmers in Krishnagiri had faced severe difficulties over the past five years, with adverse climatic conditions affecting yields. He also urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's government to address alleged corruption in the agriculture sector.
Krishnagiri Mango Pulp Processors' Federation general secretary E. Madhavan gave a more cautious response, saying the industry was only partially satisfied with the proposals.
He urged the government to take steps to increase domestic consumption of mango pulp so that both growers and processors could benefit.
Madhavan said pulp manufacturers had struggled to clear stocks over the past two years.
Production this year was estimated at around 1.5 lakh to two lakh tonnes, compared with nearly three lakh tonnes last year. He suggested introducing mango juice in the mid-day meal programme to create sustained demand for locally produced mango pulp.
Horticulture department officials said they had submitted inputs to the government for the Vision document but were yet to receive detailed information about the proposed mango processing parks.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see infrastructure development focused on agricultural exports from Tamil Nadu. Mangoes from this region are truly world-class - I've tasted them and they match Alphonso quality. If they can get direct export linkages, it benefits everyone - farmers, processors, and the state economy.
The idea of adding mango juice to mid-day meals is brilliant! 🥭 It creates domestic demand and helps our children get nutritious drinks. Win-win for everyone. I hope the government seriously considers Madhavan's suggestion.
Good initiative but I'm skeptical about the execution. Farmers have been demanding one pulp unit per block, and they're getting five integrated parks across two districts. That's still under-delivering. Also, the CM needs to look into the corruption allegations in agriculture department - we can't have these projects becoming another money-making racket.
As someone from Krishnagiri, this is very personal. Mango farming is our identity! For the last 5 years, farmers have been struggling with unpredictable weather and low prices. This corridor might be a game-changer if implemented well with proper cold storage and transport facilities. Let's hope the Vetri Tamizhagam vision truly transforms our region 🌟
This is a smart move. Investment in agricultural processing infrastructure is exactly what India needs to move up the value chain. With direct cargo connections to Chennai and Bengaluru airports, there's potential to tap into growing export markets for Indian mangoes globally.
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