JNPA to Build Rs 285 cr Agri Processing Facility

Thane, Jul 22 (PTI) Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority has received approval from the Union government to set up an agricultural commodity-based processing facility, which will be the first of its kind in India, a senior official said on Monday.
The approval for the development of the export-import cum domestic facility was given by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on July 19, the JNPA said in a release.
"We are developing agricultural commodity based processing and storage facility as part of the Union government's theme of port-led development and port-led industrialisation. The facility will aim to mitigate wastage due to multiple handling, unhygienic storage and extend the shelf life of a variety of produce. This initiative aligns with our aim to create a comprehensive port ecosystem," said JNPA chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh.
The facility will come up on 27 acres of land with comprehensive services, including processing, sorting, packing, and laboratory facilities and will cater to agricultural commodities not only of Maharashtra but also of states such as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, he said.
"The export infrastructure will have cold storage, pre-cooling, frozen storage and dry warehouses. It will also ensure seamless handling and storage solutions for imported goods. The project, estimated to cost Rs 285 crore, will be built on Public Private Partnership under Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model," the JNPA said in the release.