KUDUMBASREE'S FRUIT PRODUCTS

KUDUMBASREE UNITS

 (Kudumbasree's fruit products to hit the markets soon)

Pineshree' pineapple and other fruit products — squash, jam, pickle and sauce from the Kudumbasree stable, are expected to hit the Kerala market through Kudumbasree kiosks in August this year under an ambitious programme by the district unit of the Poverty Eradication Mission to add value to the fruits cultivated by women farmers under neighbourhood groups Trial runs at the two processing plants, one at Maradi and the other at Thiruvaniyoor, that are being readied for commissioning, will begin this month and trial production in August, Kudumbasree mission sources said here. The processing units, costing Rs.12 lakh each, will be funded partly by the district panchayat, partly by the block and gram panchayats concerned and the respective Community Development Societies under the Kudumbasree mission.

        Initially, the processing plants will go on stream as part of the activities of the groups under Kudumbasree mission. These units are likely to be constituted into a farmers' producer company. The plants, with facilities to process any seasonally available fruit, have one-tonne-a-day capacity. They will be run by 17 women under Kudumbasree groups, who have just completed their training at the Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore. This is the first time that Kudumbasree mission is taking up a major investment venture to market products that are produced by its neighbourhood groups.  Sources said that the marketing of the products will be initially done through the Kudumbasree kiosks, of which eight have already been established. A total of 50 kiosks will be opened soon, sources said.

      There are more than 3,600 women under Kudumbasree's neighbourhood groups who have taken up pineapple cultivation on around 500 hectares of leased land. With a production of around 20 tonnes per hectare per year, the two new processing plants will not require the entire produce from the Kudumbasree farmers.   Since fresh fruits are fetching good prices now, the farmers will process the smaller fruits that are generally given away free in the market. These form about 20 per cent of the total produce.  Sources said that pineapple farmers under the mission have by and large been adopting organic practices.

                                                                                 Prof. John Kurakar