Centre Approves India's First Agri-Processing Facility At Jawaharlal Nehru Port

The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority has received approval from the Union government to set up India's first agricultural commodity-based processing facility, according to a senior official.

The approval for the development of the export-import cum domestic facility was given by Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways on July 19, the JNPA said in a release.

"We are developing agricultural commodity-based processing and storage facility as part of the Union government's theme of port-led development and port-led industrialisation," JNPA chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh said in a statement. "The facility will aim to mitigate wastage due to multiple handling, unhygienic storage and extend the shelf life of a variety of produce. This initiative aligns with our aim to create a comprehensive port ecosystem."

He said the facility, spanning 27 acres, will offer services such as processing, sorting and packing. It aims to serve agricultural commodities from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

"The export infrastructure will have cold storage, pre-cooling, frozen storage and dry warehouses. It will also ensure seamless handling and storage solutions for imported goods. The project, estimated to cost Rs 285 crore, will be built on Public Private Partnership under Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer model," the JNPA said.

(With Inputs From PTI)