Koppal: In a significant step to strengthen rural livelihoods and empower farmers, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Farmers’ Training and Common Facility Centre for Agro Processing (FT-CFC) at Methagal village, Koppal, Karnataka, on Wednesday. The facility, the first of its kind in the Kalyana Karnataka region, is designed to promote value addition, reduce post-harvest losses, and generate sustainable income for farmers. The project, with a total cost of ₹5.5 crore, is funded through the MPLAD scheme, in collaboration with the Government of India and NABARD. The center is expected to generate ₹12.58 crore annually.

During the inauguration, the minister flagged off the first consignment of dry ginger powder from the Fruit Processing Centre and interacted with Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), showcasing locally processed products.

Sitharaman highlighted the government’s vision of transforming farmers into agripreneurs by providing training, promoting processing and branding, and facilitating stronger market linkages. She emphasised that the initiative would help farmers stabilise their income and improve living standards.

The centre, managed by Gavisiddeshwara Farmer Producer Company Limited, is equipped to process mango, papaya, guava, and ginger into juices, pulps, and powders, with annual capacities of 840 MT for mango and 600 MT each for papaya and guava. In collaboration with Sahyadri Farms and UAS Raichur, farmers are trained in post-harvest management, processing, packaging, branding, and digital marketing.

Products undergo quality testing at NABL-accredited labs, ensuring shelf lives of 2–4 months for juices and 12–18 months for powders. Initially, the centre will supply B2B institutional buyers and later expand into retail and export markets, including the Middle East.

Shaji K.V., NABARD Chairman, lauded the initiative as a model for agro-based rural industrialisation and inclusive development. The FT-CFC is expected to serve as a blueprint for modern, value-added agriculture in the Kalyana Karnataka region.