The Department of Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, has established six primary processing centres for bananas. Five such centres have been set up for onions in the district under Supply Chain Management Scheme.

The department has already called for tenders and interested Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) or joint venture companies to bid for the same before January 20, 2021.

Officials stated that two of the centres are meant for bananas which are located at Manachanallur and M.Puthur, four primary processing centres are established at Manachanallur, Thathaiyangarpet, Uppiliyapuram (South) and P.K.Agaram which have already been handed over to FPOs and the organisation is functional.

The officials further informed that the primary processing centres for bananas were equipped with dryers, cold storage, ripening chambers and 60 tonne weigh bridges. The centres for onions have been equipped with facilities such as sorting, peeling, packing, warehousing and 60 tonne weigh bridges.

The FPOs can utilise the facilities to process and market their produce, the officials added.