Date:28/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/09/28/stories/2004092802351700.htm

Back Ciphet promises farm aid

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Sept. 27

THE Central Institute of Post Harvest Technologies (Ciphet), Ludhiana, has assured that it will transfer tomato storage and evaporative cooling technologies to Andhra Pradesh in a couple of weeks.

The Director of Ciphet, Dr S.M. Dias, told the delegation led by the AP Minister for Agriculture, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy, that about Rs 2,500 crore can be saved annually and two lakh people given employment through post-harvest management and processing work.

Ciphet has indigenously developed evaporative cooling chambers, sunflower decorticator, integrated tomato processor, chilli powder maker and tomato storage technology. Scientists explained these developments to the AP team during the weekend.

The AP minister, along with his team of agriculture scientists, two MPs and Government officials, visited fisheries, contract farming, horticulture, paddy farms in Punjab and held discussions with their counterparts in Punjab to explore areas for co-operation, according to an official press release.

The Agriculture Minister of Punjab, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, was eager to extend co-operation in agriculture and livestock to help AP farmers in distress.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Dr K.S. Aulakh, underlined the need for exchange of expertise and collaborative work between the two States.

Mr Raghuveera Reddy said the State would host a national AgriTech exhibition in December in Hyderabad.