E-Paper
Varanasi greens to reach tables in European, Gulf countries
Under the plan, farmers of Varanasi will be imparted training to grow export quality vegetables and fruits. In the training, they will be apprised about the standards followed in European countries, Gulf countries, and Singapore for growing quality vegetables.
If the fillip by the central government bears fruit, green vegetables grown on farms in Varanasi and adjoining areas will eventually be savoured in Europe and Arabia. The aim of the Centre is to make Varanasi a fruit and vegetable export hub. Fruits and vegetables grown in the region will be branded as Banaras Brand Kashi and Brand, respectively.
Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman Paban K Borthakur discussed the plan in detail with divisional commissioner Deepak Agarwal, district magistrate Surendra Singh and officials of the agriculture department at a meeting here on Thursday.
As part of the two-phase plan, in the first phase, farmers will be imparted training and basic infrastructure for packaging of vegetables and fruits will be developed in the districts and farmers will be motivated to grow quality fruits and vegetables.
In the second phase, focus will shift to adding facilities to the infrastructure present to promote export of the produce.
“Take steps required for realising the plan so that fruits and vegetables grown in the region may be exported to developed countries on a large scale,” Borthakur said, and added that the plan is aimed at aiding the farmers of the region.
“All the government departments, research centres, exporters, farmers and export centres should work in a synergy to materialise the plan,” he said, adding that the export of vegetables and fruits from Varanasi should set an example and be an inspiration to farmers across the nation.
Under the plan, farmers of the region will be imparted training to grow export quality vegetables and fruits. In the training, they will be apprised about the standards followed in European countries, Gulf countries, and Singapore for growing quality vegetables. The farmers will be asked to use as little pesticides as they could.
Divisional commissioner Deepak Agarwal, who attended the meeting, said that there is plan to build a packing house each in all four districts of the division for sorting, testing, grading, and packaging of vegetables. After testing and packing, the vegetables will be transported to Varanasi from where they will be exported.
Agarwal said, “There has been lot of infrastructure development in Varanasi in the last five years. The infrastructure will help increase export of goods, vegetables and fruits from here. Export of vegetables and fruits will play a crucial role in increasing and doubling the income of famers.
There is also a plan to develop an agro-processing park near the airport.
Vegetables including cauliflower, tomatoes, chillies, peas, brinjals, cabbage, beans and many others are grown on a large scale in the region. Export of chillies, cauliflowers, peas grown in Banaras and Ghazipur to Gulf countries, which began two years back, is going well.
