State to have first potato dehydration centre soon

In a bid to enhance shelf-life of potatoes, Gujarat will soon set up its first potato dehydration centre in Palanpur town with a handling capacity of 500 kg per hour.

The Centre has proposed to invest Rs 19.5 crore in Palanpur town of north Gujarat, accounting for the highest potato output in the state. "

A potato dehydration centre has been planned for Deesa near Palanpur, the potato hub of state. It shall have state-of -the-art machinery to be imported from overseas (possibly Switzerland), which can enhance shelf-life of potatoes," Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation (GAIC) MD N K Singh said.

 

The site for project has been finalised and the construction work will commence soon after the monsoon, according to officials. The dehydrated potato flakes can be used in place of mashed potatoes. They are functionally like fresh potatoes and could be used for making traditional snacks like samosa, dosa, tikki and parathas, industry experts said.

GAIC is the state government's arm which promotes agricultural activities and fosters development of agro industries in the state. The move is expected to ease problems of wastage during the time of potato glut in the largest growing region of the state.

"If a potato dehydration facility is set up here it will benefit the farmers and shall help them fetch a better price for their produce," Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC,) Deesa's Director Babu Mali said.