NGO plans agro exports hike

Having indigenously developed solar drying technology for organic products, Jaipur-based NGO MR Morarka-GDC Rural Research Foundation is planning to increase global exports of dried organic agri-products from the Shekhawati region in Rajasthan.

"The protocols and standard packages for solar dehydaration, using our solar vapour squeeze technology have helped us in currently focussing on products grown in our project area as well as on products demanded by our clients," the foundation Executive Director Mukesh Gupta said.

"Dehydrated and powdered aonla (gooseberry) samples have already been approved by clients in Europe and the US. This opens fresh, lucrative frontiers for the farmers to export their organic produce to the Western countries, thereby, considerably increasing their earnings.

Generally, organic management helps in increasing income by 30-50 per cent at the farm level," he added.

The solar vapour squeeze technology has helped in the processing surplus stock of fruits and vegetables, thereby stabilising prices for fresh produce in local mandis, Gupta said.

The technology utilises solar heat to vapourise water and removal of water vapour after its separation from the tissues of products being dehydrated using air current as the medium for transfer of both heat and mass.

"The processed stocks can be sold with value addition at reasonable profits. We have sent many samples and all have been approved," he added.

At present the foundation exports organic produce to Europe, the US and Japan.

The foundation tied up with UK-based logistics company Klave Ltd in February 2005, to provide logistics services to farmers for selling their organically-grown crops in the domestic and international markets.

It also tied up with Winrock International and Onecert earlier this year for the development of inspection manual for organic certification.