AP's Palnadu to house Asia's largest spices processing unit

Palnadu: Andhra Pradesh now has a global spices processing unit established by ITC in the Palnadu district. Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the Rs. 200 crore plant. After the plant is completed in the next 15 months, the unit will become the largest spices processing unit in Asia.

The plant, with a capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes, will provide the facilities of cleaning, grading, grinding, steam sterilisation, destemming, and packing of 15 varieties of spices, including chillies. Jagan said the plant will provide employment to 1,500 persons directly and indirectly and benefit over 14,000 farmers.

The Chief Minister explained the government's decision to establish 10,668 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) across the state which has brought revolutionary changes in the agriculture sector.

Pointing out that the government wanted to establish food processing units in all 26 districts at an estimated cost of Rs. 3,450 crores, he said the foundation stones will be laid for the construction of 10 such units in the next two months at a cost of Rs. 1,250 crores in the first phase. When all 26 units are completed, it would be a boon to the farming community besides providing employment to 33,000 persons, he added.

ITC chairman Sanjeev Puri said he was proud to partner with the state government in its efforts to empower women and the farming community. He assured continuous support to the state government in its efforts to bring socio-economic transformation in the state.