AGRO INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES

Our village economy mainly depends upon the farm produce as well as agro-based industries. No doubt, agriculture industry engages about 70-80% of our population, yet contribution of agro-based industries in generating the employment in villages is very less. Appropriate post harvest technology/agro-based industry has become a very important tool of boosting our economy through scientific conservation of food, feed and fibre materials, efficient and appropriate use of wastes and by product of agriculture, generation of appropriate technologies which leads to the development of rural agro-processing industries enabling farmers selling their value added products. Appropriate location specific, low cost, post harvest technologies are indeed a powerful instrument for bringing around socio-economic uplift of rural masses. Establishment of agro-processing complexes: Rural industrialization or establishment of agro-processing complexes/models at village level or at focal points, is essential to prevent the migration of surplus man power as well as produce to urban areas, to act as instrument for socio-economic uplift of rural masses, increase income of farmers, provide significant employment opportunities to rural youth and reduce huge amount of post-harvest losses, especially in cereals, fruits and vegetables. Establishment of agro-processing complex is location and climate specific. In Punjab, main agro-processing technologies at farm level should be related to crops like wheat, paddy, oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane, kinnow, grapes, etc. Techno-economic viability of a number of appropriate complexes/agro-based industries may have one or more of following technologies/equipments depending on the availability of resources i.e. crops, residues, by products, local artisans and trained labour in and around a village/focal points. Since most post harvest operation are seasonal in nature, 2-3 technologies/products can be taken up to develop an agro-industrial complex to provide regular employment throughout the year. Different agro-industrial complex have been developed for six different agro-climatic regions. These models include techno-economically viable technologies. One such complex, which contains a mini rice mill, baby oil expeller, grinder, atta chakki, cleaner and diesel engine, can be established with an investment of Rs. 5.00 to 7.25 lakhs. Economic analysis of these models indicate that the agro industrial complex can yield monthly profit of Rs.10000-12000 depending upon area produce,

produce processed apart from providing employment to two persons. These agro industrial complexes also yield quality value-added by-products. Sr. No. 1. Name of the machine Mini Rice Mill a) Individual unit type 2. b) Composite Unit Atta chakkis a) Chakki only 250 kg/hr 250 kg/hr 60 kg/hr to 1.00 lakh 1.25 lakh 300 10,000 to 50,000 Capacity Approximate (Rs.) cost

kg/hr b) Mini flour

depending upon size

mill 100 kg/hr to 200 1.25 lakh to 3.00 lakh 1.00 lakh 1.00 lakh 1.00 lakh 10,000

consisting of grain cleaner, kg/hr 3. 4. 5. 6. scruber and elevators etc. Baby oil expeller 60 kg/hr of oil seed Cotton Gin (Automatic and 40-50 kg/hr manual) Mini Dhall Mill 100 kg/hr 15-20 kg/hr

(Automatic) Masala Grinder