The Maharashtra government is actively working towards enhancing the marketability and global branding of local fruit crops. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has called upon Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and cultivators to globally brand fruits such as grapes, bananas, Alphonso mangoes, and pomegranates. The state promises full support for these initiatives.
These remarks were made during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new sub-market yard and the opening of a contemporary fruit and vegetable handling facility in Jalochi. This development is part of the Magnet project, a collaboration between the Maharashtra government and the Asian Development Bank, with an investment of Rs 1,100 crore aimed at enhancing the agricultural sector between 2021-22 and 2027-28.
The focus is on crops like pomegranates, guavas, grapes, bananas, and mangoes, aiming to improve market access, connect with export-quality buyers, and ensure adequate storage facilities. The inaugurated facility in Baramati is equipped with modern amenities to benefit producers and consumers alike.
Pawar stressed the importance of collective sales for small and marginal farmers and suggested adopting international research, value chain integration, and insurance protection to bolster the sector. He also highlighted the construction of cold chain storage facilities to minimize vegetable wastage and the establishment of new sub-market yards to facilitate regional development.
The state-of-the-art fruit and vegetable handling facility features modern cold storage, pre-cooling units, and equipment for grading, sorting, and packing, aimed at improving storage and marketing capabilities for local produce.
Source: The Bridge Chronicle