Spices Board to set up park in Guntur

The Spices Board is setting up a park in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh to upgrade the quality of spices and ensure better prices for growers in the state. The Board will invest Rs 25 crore to build the infrastructure.

The proposed spices park will be set up in an area of 124.78 acres. Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services, Cluster Development Initiative, New Delhi has been entrusted with the Techno Commercial Feasibility Study for the proposed park. The Board has invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from the registered exporters of spices for setting up of units, said a statement released by the board.

Guntur, being the major production and marketing centre for chillies, the park will specialise more on the commodity. Processing facilities in the park will be set up by the Board, besides by exporters of chillies and chilli products from different parts of the country.

The Board has already invited EOIs from processors and exporters to set up facilities in the park, especially for chillies and turmeric. All units in the park will be certified ISO/HACCP/GMP, with international acceptance.

The park will have raw-material warehousing, cleaning, drying, grading, sorting and packing facilities; pulverizing, blending, packaging in bulk as well as institutional and consumer packaging; extraction, sterilisation, finished products storage, analytical facilities, pre-shipment inspection and certification; customs clearing facilities, container loading facilities and banking and other related services.

In addition, the Board will also provide a world-class analytical laboratory to undertake analytical services and also to impart training on both pre-and post-harvest operations in spices to all sections of the trade. Research and Development facilities will also be set up.

The foundation stone for the park is to be laid by Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy tomorrow at Mydavolu village of Edlapadu Mandal in Guntur district.