Kerala CM inaugurates Spice Park at Thodupuzha in Idukki

IDUKKI: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday inaugurated a Spices Park at Thodupuzha in this hilly district.

Inaugurating the park, Vijayan said it will boost the processing and value addition of spices and allied products.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan said the first phase of the 15.29-acre Spice Park at Muttom village set up by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation was built at a cost of Rs 20 crore.

''The development projects which began in October 2021 were finished by August 2023. All the industrial plots constructed as part of the first phase have been allotted to the investors,'' Vijayan said.

He said a dedicated feeder from KSEB sub-station, drains, rainwater harvesting facility and a security post, besides an effluent treatment plant, administrative block, amenities building and ATM kiosk are provided in the park.

Vijayan also said the development work for the second phase has already begun. KINFRA, founded in 1993, is an industrial facilitator agency headquartered in the state capital. The event was also attended by by Industries Minister P Rajeeve and Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine among others.

KINFRA also proposes to use seven acres of land in the Spices Park for spice cultivation and value addition of spices, jointly with the Spices Board's Park at Puttady near Kumily in Idukki district.

Kerala opened the country's first mega food park three years ago, when KINFRA's Rs 119 crore facility on 80 acres of land was inaugurated at Palakkad in October 2020.