Bhagalpur, Dec. 20: The state government has decided to set up food-processing industries to help farmers around Naugachia sub-division of Bhagalpur, around 240km east of Patna.
State co-operative minister Alok Kumar Mehta, who visited Bhagalpur to attend the general body meeting of Bhagalpur Central Co-operative Bank Ltd on Sunday, told journalists that the government was interested in helping banana growers.
Since the region is known for its banana production, food-processing units could change the fate of the area as well as help the farmers, he said.
"Opportunities in employment generation would also help counter the rising crime graph in Naugachia," Mehta said.
Bananas apart, the Naugachia belt produces maize and the proposed food-processing unit could also help maize farmers in the region.
The minister said a time limit for March 2017 has been set for completing detailed project report (DPR) of the proposed food-processing industry.
The cooperative bank's managing director, Subhash Kumar, said the national productivity council has been assigned to prepare the DPR. The report would be prepared under integrated cooperative development project (ICDP).
According to Mehta, investment worth Rs 10 core is on the cards for the proposed food-processing industry. The investors can expect 25 per cent subsidy in investment, 25 per cent loan at no interest and the remaining amount as loan with interest from the government.
He also said 50 per cent of the amount would be provided from the central fund and the rest by the state government.
Naugachia has the potential to supply improved variety of banana to Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jharkhand and Bengal among others. But it is prone to natural calamities like recurring floods.
"Floods in August virtually broke the spine of banana growers. Second, the production is high here but post-harvest scenario is bad. Farmers don't have proper marketing facilities, which forces them to sell produce at a cheap rate," said Ugresh Kumar, a banana grower in Naugachia.
Juice, chips, chocolates, cakes and shampoo could be made from banana while its fibres can be used to manufacture threads, paper and jewellery.
Banana plant extracts are also used to manufacture colours, vermicompost and poultry fodder.
According to district horticulture officer Bijay Kumar Pandit, banana farming is carried out in over 37,000 acres at Naugachia. Over 30,000 farmers are directly engaged in it. Banana is also produced at Katihar, Purnea and a few other parts of Bhagalpur.
R.K. Sohane, director (extension) at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) in Sabour, said that parts of the plant that are dumped after harvest can be put to use in some ways and fetch additional income.
The decision to set up banana-related food procedure units in Naugachia has spread new hope among farmers.
Mukutdhari Agarwala, president of Eastern Bihar Industries Association, a body of industrials here, welcomed the decision. He said he had for long been demanding setting up of such units in Bhagalpur.
