A Gamma Irradiation sterilisation facility has been set up at the Pochampalli Primary Processing Centre in the district, under the Tamil Nadu Supply Chain Management (TNSCM) project.
The TNSCM project under the Department of Agricultural Marketing & Agri Business aims to provide an integrated, end-to-end supply chain management infrastructure, that envisions modern infrastructure for fruits and vegetables, to enable better marketability for stakeholders.
According to the administration, the newly set-up facility is to enable sterilisation of agricultural produce and comply with the international standards for exports of produce including fresh fruits.
Packaged masalas, fruits, vegetables, cut-flowers, potatoes, onions, and lentils when sterilised under Gamma Irradiation, helps increase their shelf-life by killing microorganisms.
The facility may be used by Farmers Producer Companies (FPOs), agriculture entrepreneurs and exporters, from across the State. Further, as per the export norms of countries such as the United States, Australia and Malaysia, the export of fruits, especially mangoes, can be exported only upon sterilisation. Mangoes when sterilised under Gamma Irradiation, helps in killing the insects that tend to infest upon harvest, the administration has stated.
