Project Concept for Regeneration of Agro-Processing Traditional Industries (RAPTI)

Objectives: –

1. Developing other regional fruit/vegetable and cereal based foods and cuisines into “marketable surplus"
2. To utilize rural non-workers and marginal workers (including women) man power towards economically productive activity
3. To provide hygienically prepared cut, peeled fresh vegetables to Urban families
4. To innovate and traditional foods using modern scientific techniques
5. To gain rural market share in food processing area
6. To promote traditional practices, dietary pattern and regional, nutritive food recepies.
7. To provide Post Harvest Facilities in rural area
Special Features of the Project
· High percentage of major “stakeholders” amongst the beneficiaries of the project
· Appropriate profit sharing
· Primary processing from Farm/Orchard to consumers' dining table (Harvesting, removal of field heat, sorting, grading, utilizing gluts, peeling etc.) has been identified as the area of opportunities. This fact ensures the profitability of the project.
· Handling large varieties of Fruits and Vegetable, condiments and spices, cereals & other food commodities offer all-year-round business.
· Scope for large scale public participation
· Simple technologies, which are largely traditional. These technologies are proposed to be innovated to meet international standards of health, hygiene and quality.
· Except Quality Control Lab in proposed CFC, nearly all capital investment is easy to liquidate.
· The project is being proposed to be launched in the area where sodaic land is very occident thus needing intervention at non-farm-sector.
Short Narrative
Fresh F & V. including their products are proposed at growing (Farm/Orchard) site. Primary treatments to maintain freshness and to prevent spoilage shall be given. The SHGs shall do these activities. A few SHGs may be involved to prepare specialized intermediate products or ready to serve products from cull grade of the crop. These SHGs may acquire premises for FPO licensing. That is why the SHGs have to be grouped according to their field of specialization. These groups may be mutual suppliers and processors. The end product shall be standardized for quality at a CFC (Common Facility Center). This CFC shall handle market distribution, while funds of each SHG shall be maintained and managed by them. The network proposed is for benefits, not for interdependence; hence every SHG shall be independent node in decision making and forming their own network.
`Thus, common threats and common goals for the SHGs of the network are expected to be cohesive.
This network, may in later phases, handle Organic Cultivation, exports and use most modern technology like IQF.
The tables and description given here are just illustrative, not comprehensive
Implementation Plan (Highlights only)
· The project shall be phased
· Establishment of CFC is proposed to be taken up in the second phase
· CFC shall be managed by a Governing body (District Level)
· Ownership holder of the CFC shall be treated as stakeholder and eligible for profit sharing
· Networking of about 2000 SHGs for group specific activities
· The funds shall be managed by each SHG independently. They shall be required to pay for the services of CFC availed by them
· Fresh frozen peeled, cut vegetables shall be made available at par price of unpeeled and unprepared vegetables sold in the market
· Focus shall be on rural market
· Intensive Training and crash course in Fruit and Vegetable Handling and Hygiene shall be imparted to all participant members of SHGs
Activity, and other salient aspects are briefed as under
Proposed Income generating Activities
The activities and the Product Range have been grouped according to various skill levels and according to the classified product range as follows: -