MP urges Chirag Paswan to establish shallot industry in Perambalur

TIRUCHY: Perambalur MP Arun Nehru met the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan and appealed for establishing an onion processing industry in his constituency as it is one of the top producers of shallots in state. He also submitted a petition in this regard.

According to MP Arun Nehru, Perambalur district is ranked at 31 among the districts in Tamil Nadu based on the per capita income released in the Human Resource Annual report but there is cultivable land in an area of 1.02 lakh hectares in which maize, paddy, turmeric, chilly, tomato, peanut, sesame and shallots are cultivated.

“The climatic condition of the district is favourable for shallots cultivation and there is potential in producing shallots worth Rs 2,200 crore in the region, but due to the shortage of storage facility and various other factors, the farmers face 16 to 35 per cent harvest loss and this leads the farmers to sell their products in a lower price through the middle men,” he said in the petition.Arun Nehru said that establishing a food processing industry related to shallots would solve their problems to a greater extent and the farmers would also get a reasonable pricing for their produce. “This would also help to improve the socio-economic status of the people in the district and would pave the way for the availability of basic infrastructure to the district which would lead to an overall development in the district,” he stated.