Surat: Though the agro-processing industry in South Gujarat is in a nascent stage, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Surat, has made a beginning by sending mango pulp to the US and Canada last year.APMC has acquired licence to export from Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority (APEDA) and entered into contracts with 10 international exporters who do business in the US, UK, Canada and UAE to lift the processed fruit pulp from Surat on a daily basis for international market.The plant set-up by APMC has the capacity to process 60 metric tonnes of fruit pulp on daily basis. It has also started making puree from juicy vegetables like tomatoes and other local fruits like guava, banana and sapota (chickoo).Starting from mango pulp to dried chickoo and all types of frozen vegetables, the South Gujarat region has it all. All types of vegetables and fruits, including their variants, could form a rich export market for gulf countries, the US and UK, earning more than Rs 1,000 crore in the next five years. On the other hand, shrimp farming in South Gujarat has gained prominence over the last decade with export potential of more than Rs 900 crore. Majority of the shrimp export is done from Mumbai and South India ports.Aquaculture expert Dr Manoj Sharma told TOI, “For fresh shrimp supply to Gulf countries, an international air cargo in Surat will be a blessing. However, the biggest boon will be on domestic front as we get more than 400 crore shrimp babies from Pondicherry via Vizag and Chennai. These shrimp babies arrive in Mumbai and then reach parts of Gujarat, including Surat and South Gujarat, via road.”APMC, Surat, chairman Raman Jani told TOI, “We have set-up the production plant with an intention to boost local farmers’ income and earning foreign exchange for the country. At present, not many farmers have APEDA licences, but they can go through us and still reap the benefit of exporting their products. We hope Surat international air cargo will go a very long way in establishing South Gujarat as a major agro product export market.”

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