CM Jagan dedicates spice processing unit to 14,000 farmers, announces set up of 26 more FPUs with an investment of ₹3450 crore

*Date: Nov 11, 2022*

*Location: Palnadu*

*CM Jagan dedicates spice processing unit to 14,000 farmers, announces set up of 26 more FPUs with an investment of ₹3450 crore*

_*ITC Chairman Sanjeev Puri lauds CM Jagan’s leadership for achieving inclusive growth*_

In yet another bid to aid the farmers and traders of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy today inaugurated the global spices processing facility center set up by ITC at Spices Park in Vankayalapadu village, Yedlapadu Mandal in Palnadu district.

On the occasion, CM Jagan made a big announcement that 26 more Food Processing Units will come up in the state with an investment of ₹3450 crores which will help generate employment opportunities to 33,000 people in the coming 2-3 years. He added that Phase-I of the same project will be initiated in Dec-Jan, with an investment of ₹1250 crore.*

The Chief Minister dedicated the spice plant to the farmers and traders of Palnadu, Guntur, Bapatla and Prakasam districts and said that as many as 14,000 farmers would reap the benefits from the unit. The facility center would be processing 15 varieties of spices, he said.

CM Jagan also inaugurated the new chilli processing unit at Chilakaluripet. The plant is built on 6.2 acres of land and has been set up at a cost of ₹240 crore. Elaborating on the production capabilities of the chilli plant, CM Jagan apprised that in the first phase, the plant will have the capability of processing around 20,000 metric tonnes of red chillies annually. Later, the plant will be further elevated to process 32,000 metric tonnes of chillies in the second phase. The plant will thus become the largest spice processing unit in Asia.

The ITC plant will not only generate large scale employment opportunities for the locals, but will also make a push for women empowerment as around 70% of the jobs would be provided to women. “As many as 1,500 people have already been employed in the plant,” CM stated.

_*Another example of Ease of doing business in AP*_

• Highlighting that the setup of one-of-a-kind spice processing unit is a testament to ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in Andhra Pradesh, CM Jagan shared that ‘the plant had been set up within 24 months of the commencement of the project.’

• *Present at the event, ITC Chairman Sanjeev Puri lauded Andhra Pradesh government’s development schemes and complimented CM Jagan for his exemplary leadership for achieving inclusive growth under his nine unique Navaratnalu schemes.*