Melia producer company launched

With an aim to bring all Melia growers under one platform and assure them profitable market and trade, a Melia Producer Company was launched at Mettupalayam, a nearby city.
The company, claimed to be the first of its kind in the country, was launched by Dr L S Mehta, Chairman, ICAR-National Agricultural Innovative Project (NAIP) review team during its visit to Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI), Mettupalayam, a constituent college of Tamil Nadu Agricultural Unviersity.
The objective of the project was to bring research institutes, wood-based industries, farmers and financial instituions on Public Private Partnership mode consortia to improve economic benefits of all the stakeholders, according to a release.

The project which was initiated in five districts with 200 hectares of Industrial Plantations five years ago, has now spread over to 39,000 hectares covering 29 districts in Tamil Nadu and wood based industries' participation was increased to 17 to three.
Farmers have been benefitted through minimum support price as well as instant payments as they had entered into contract with these industries.
United India Insurance Company, has extended insurance cover to the industrial wood plantations and is now attracted by many trees grown and wood based industries, the release said.
FCRI have prepared bankable project for Melia, Ailanthus and Casuarina, which was also launched, along with new biomass Conversion Unit called Biowood by Mehta.