Nagpur: Baba Ramdev-promoted Patanjali Ayurved plans to commission its proposed herbal food park at Nagpur by the end of the current financial year. The company also expects to clock annual turnover of Rs 10,000 crore by March 31, 2018.
The facility at Nagpur will be spread over 230 acres entailing an investment of Rs 1,000 crore.
Patanjali Ayurved spokesman S K Tijarawala told media: “The Haridwar park is developed on 115 acres with an investment of Rs 500 crore. It has been operational since 2007 with daily processing of 500 tonnes of vegetables and 1,000 tonnes of fruits.
The Nagpur park will be much bigger and it will process more than 2,000 tonnes of vegetables and 4,000 tonnes of fruits per day. It will produce juices and pulps, drying powder, herbal medicines, digestive items, and cattle feed. Besides, it will house cold storage, research laboratory, training and research centre to teach farmers.”
Farmers will be trained to grow orange, aloe vera, tomato and herbs and Patanjali will offer them ‘purchase guarantee’. A team of scientists and experts would also provide help. Besides, farmers will be provided soft loans.
Tijarawala said the company would cater to both the domestic and international markets for the products being manufactured at the Nagpur facility. “The company has bought 60 acres in the adjoining special economic zone to export the products to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Bangladesh, West Asia and South Africa.”
Apart from Nagpur, the company has firmed up plans to develop five more food parks – two in Uttar Pradesh, one each in Jammu, Madhya Pradesh and Assam – by investing another Rs 4,000 crore.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who laid the foundation stone for the park last week, expressed the hope that the initiative by Ramdev would take oranges and agricultural products from the Vidarbha region to the international markets.
Union minister of roads and highways Nitin Gadkari, who was instrumental in getting Ramdev to invest in the region, said tribals from Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur, who make a living collecting forest produce such as medicinal plants and herbs, would benefit immensely.
