Tamil Nadu government has approved setting up of mega food park and eight agro processing clusters in the state, said Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Panneerselvam who also look after the Finance portfolio presenting the state budget for 2020-21 said the government has approved the establishment of a Mega Food Park in an area of 53.36 acres at Gangaikondan, Tirunelveli district at a cost of Rs.77.94 crore.”

He said it is proposed to establish Food Parks in Dharmapuri, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Karur, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Tenkasi districts at a cost of Rs.70 crore.

According to Panneerselvam, eight more agro processing clusters at a cost of Rs. 218 crore are proposed to be established in Theni, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Madurai districts during 2020-21 under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY).

Integrated Farmers Market Complexes will be established in five locations in Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli districts on a pilot basis at a total cost of Rs. 50 crore with funding from the NABARD – Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure Fund.

These complexes will serve as common platforms including input shops, service centres and sales outlets, and will benefit both farmers and consumers, Panneerselvam said.