In a first, cold storage facility in Dantewada dist expected to keep state's economy & grains fresh

Raipur: Focussing on preserving agricultural and forest produce for extended periods, a modern cold storage facility is being set up in Paterras region of Dantewada district in Bastar division under Prime Minister's Kisan Sampada Yojana.
Bastar region is known for producing tamarind, mahua, wild mango, indigenous spices, and coarse grains like millet. However, due to a lack of proper storage and preservation facilities, between 7 to 20 percent of the annual produce is wasted.
Officials said that it will be the first such govt-run facility in the country which will be a game-changer for local farmers and forest produce gatherers.
Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the facility will not only generate employment but also improve income levels, ensuring that produce does not go to waste and farmers can earn a fair price for their goods.
With the establishment of this new facility, farmers will have access to cold storage, freezers, radiation machines, and large trucks for transporting their goods, ensuring that their produce remains fresh for a longer duration, officials said.
The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 25 crores, is being managed by the District Project Livelihood College Society, an organization focused on enhancing employment opportunities in tribal areas.
The facility will have a cold storage capacity of 1,500 metric tons, a frozen storage of 1,000 metric tons, five small cold rooms, a blast freezer for quickly chilling fruits, separate chambers for ripening products, and a radiation machine to prevent spoilage.
Additionally, there will be three large trucks for transportation and a 70-kilowatt solar system to reduce electricity consumption.
This facility will help preserve more than 10,000 metric tons of produce annually, benefiting not just Dantewada but also surrounding districts like Bastar, Bijapur, Sukma, Kondagaon, and Narayanpur.
The project will be funded with Rs 10 crore from the central govt's scheme and Rs 14.98 crore from the district mineral fund.
The cold storage facility is expected to generate around Rs 8.5 crore in annual revenue.
The construction of the facility is expected to be completed in 24 months.The administration has already made arrangements to connect local produce to markets in major cities like Raipur and Visakhapatnam, where products from Bastar will be sold both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, there are plans to establish a special 'Bastar brand' to give a unique identity to local products, helping them fetch a higher price.

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