SHGs to run three pickle manufacturing units in Odisha- The New Indian Express

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Mission Shakti in convergence with State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) has decided to set up three state-of-the-art pickle manufacturing units at Baripada, Berhampur and Dhenkanal to cater to the needs of the Aahaar centers across the State.

The 166 Aahaar centres in the State managed by women SHGs require 300 tonne of pickle which is served with the hot cooked meal at an affordable cost of Rs 5 to the urban needy population. Each meal includes 10 gm pickle and till now, the SHGs were purchasing the required pickle from the open market.

The State government has decided to tap the potential of women entrepreneurship through Mission Shakti SHGs by encouraging them to manage the semi-mechanised pickle manufacturing units. Maa Durga SHG at Baripada, Bighneswar-II SHG at Berhampur and Mahasangam Mission Shakti Area Level Federation (ALF) at Dhenkanal have been selected to run the fully mechanised pickle centers and fulfil the required demand of 300 tonne pickle every year for Aahaar centres.

As per the decision, the units will supply pickles to the Aahaar centers of 10 districts. All the three Mission Shakti SHGs have signed an MoU with Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI-CSIR), Mysuru on technology transfer of pickle making process.  he president and secretary from the groups had already undergone an exposure trip to CFTRI in March to have first-hand experience on pickle making.

The groups have already procured requisite raw materials such as mango, lemon, carrot, ginger, green chilli and spices. The ingredients have been stored in their centres for future use. The procurement of machinery and other equipment from CFTRI has been completed.  

“The machines are being installed and the production will start from August. The project cost comes around Rs 80 lakh out of which Rs 47 lakh each (Rs 1.41 crore for three units) incurred towards civil construction has been borne by the Mission Shakti department,” said an official.

All three groups have been provided with a loan of Rs 30 lakh each from HDFC bank to meet the working capital and cost of equipment for operationalisation of the pickle units. While the estimated cost of production comes around Rs 45 per kg, the selling price has been proposed to be Rs 51 per kg.