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More hot water treatment units in state to process mangoes

Move aimed at boosting exports of the king of fruits
Last Updated 11 March 2017, 19:08 IST

After successfully setting up a hot water treatment unit in Malur, Kolar district, to improve the quality of mangoes grown, the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL) is coming up with two more units, so as to boost exports.

Kadre Gowda, KSMDMCL managing director, told DH that last year, the corporation had tied up with Innova Agri Bio Park Ltd, a private firm in Malur. This year, the corporation is tying up with another private company in Hubballi.

“We have called for tenders to set up another hot water treatment unit at a cost of Rs 94.45 lakh in Madikere, Chintamani taluk of Chikkaballapur district. With this, the state will have three units,” he said.

According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), there are 19 hot water treatment units in India, of which Karnataka has just one.

Gowda said areas with maximum production have been chosen for setting up the units. Maximum mango production is in Kolar, where 46,000 ha is under mango cultivation, followed by Ramanagaram (22,000 ha) and Chikkaballapur (14,000 ha). In North Karnataka, Dharwad, Belagavi, Gadag, Haveri and Koppal districts collectively have 30,000 ha under mango cultivation. One hectare produces close to eight tonnes of mangoes.

This is being done to hasten the processing of mangoes. According to international standards and Apeda, hot water treatment and gamma radiation treatment are mandatory to rid the fruits of insecticides and pesticides, said a KSMDMCL member.

Last year, the state produced between 13 lakh and 14 lakh tonnes of mangoes, of which 6,975 tonnes were exported. This year, though there could be some decline in production (between eight and 10 lakh tonnes) and export. KSMDMCL aims to send the best quality to other states. This year, KSMDMCL expects the maximum production from Kolar, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural (Hoskote and Devanahalli), Dharwad and Belagavi districts.

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(Published 11 March 2017, 19:08 IST)

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