MADURAI: To benefit farmers, a banana auction-cum-value addition centre will come up at Padalaiyarkulam village in Kalakad union of Tirunelveli district.

Assembly Speaker M Appavu on Wednesday laid foundation for the facility estimated to be set up at a cost of Rs 6.25 crore.

Banana cultivation is done largely in pockets of Kalakad and its surroundings, including Cheranmahadevi, Valliyur and Panagudi and hence Kalakad has been chosen as the location for the new facility.

After laying the foundation, Speaker Appavu said that the facility would be a boon for banana farmers of the region. Heeding demands of farmers, Chief Minister MK Stalin during his visit to Tirunelveli last month announced that a banana auction centre would be established at Kalakad.

The infrastructure development project will have grading structure and other necessary facilities to make additional products like banana chips, banana powder and banana fibre. It would also have cold storage, ripening chamber, hundred tonne capacity weighbridge and basic facilities, including water, drainage, street lights, toilets, approach road and compound wall, he said.

During the programme, Appavu disbursed Rs 11.38 lakh aid under the micro food processing scheme to five beneficiaries, besides handing over farm inputs to several beneficiaries under Dr Kalaignar’s All Village Integrated Agriculture Development programme, sources said.

Collector V Vishnu, Joint Director of Agriculture (in-charge) Ashok Kumar, president, Kalakad Union, Indhira George Kosal and others were present at the function.

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