TURA: Tura MP Conrad K Sangma has led a farmers delegation to meet with the union minister for food processing industries in New Delhi to seek the establishment of a food processing centre at Kharkutta, in North Garo Hills district, where the much sought after banana fruit is said to be one of the largest producing farm product in South East Asia.
On Thursday, the farmers delegation headed by Rupert Momin was taken by the Tura Lok Sabha MP to a meeting with the union Food Processing Industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal where they apprised her about the mass cultivation of organic bananas in the Kharkutta region and the need to set up a processing centre to ensure regular supply of the commodity.
Kharkutta region has been known for ages for its supply of the fruit that is available all year round and is made famous by the fact that farmers do not use any chemicals for its growth.
The fruit from Kharkutta region makes its way to various states in the country, particularly to West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
However, banana farmers have for long been experiencing unstable market pricing and the absence of a supply chain has compelled farmers to head across the inter-state border into Darranggre market of Dudhnoi in Assam where their produce is lifted by middlemen for a throwaway price.
“A processing centre would lead to competitive pricing with other banana growers in other parts of the country and benefit the farmers of Garo Hills,” said Tura MP Conrad Sangma.
He added that the union minister had given a positive response to their demand adding that ground work would need to be cleared for the establishment of the factory.
