The Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries has appointed Punjab Agri Export Corporation (PAGREXCO) as the state implementing agency for Kinnow crop under the Operation Greens Scheme — TOP to TOTAL.
“After state government’s persistent effort, the Union Ministry has included Kinnow in the list of designated crops under the scheme. Earlier, the scheme was restricted to three crops — Tomato, Onion, and Potato (TOP). Now, the Ministry has included many fruits and vegetables and hence the name of the scheme is TOTAL. The scheme is the part of Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,” said the spokesperson of Punjab’s Food Processing Department on Tuesday.
The spokesperson said that the food processors, FPO or FPC, Co-operative Societies, Individual farmers, Licensed Commission Agents, Exporters, State Marketing or Co-operative Federations, Retailers and others engaged in processing, marketing of Kinnow would be entitled for assistance under the scheme.
The beneficiaries would get a 50 percent subsidy towards the cost of transportation or storage of Kinnow.
The objective of intervention is to protect Kinnow growers from making distress sale due to lockdown, and to reduce post harvest losses.
PAGREXCO has invited eligible beneficiaries to come up for taking the benefit of the scheme by registering and submitting required documents on the website of Punjab Agro (PAIC) or depositing the same with the Kinnow Waxing and Grading Centres of PAGREXCO at Badal village (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Sito Guno (Fazilka) and Kangmai (Hoshiarpur).
