Fruit processing villages

COLOMBO: The Institute of Post Harvest Technology has drawn up a programme to set up fruit processing villages in a bid to upgrade post harvest technology of fruit cultivation.

The programme launched on Agricultural Development Minister Chamal Rajapaksa's initiative has already shown immense progress, an Agricultural Development Ministry release said.

Thirty to 40 per cent of fruits grown locally go waste (quantatively and qualitatively) from production time to the time they reach the consumers.

The fruit processing villages are designed to minimize this damage and prevent excess produce going waste during plucking seasons.

This programme is in operation in Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Ampara and Moneragala districts and Mahaweli Development Zones.

The Ministry hopes to reach an annual target of 25 fruit processing villages under this programme.