AASU sets out to create entrepreneurs

Realising the absence of employment opportunities in the state was helping insurgent groups get fresh recruits, All Asom Student's Union (AASU) and its offshoot, Asom Unnati Xabha (AUX), an AASU promoted NGO, has joined hands
with a private enterprise to generate self-employment in the state."

AASU advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya told a press conference that the AASU and AUX has approached Sanghavi Foods, promoted by Nilon's Enterprise, for cultivation of fruits and vegetables by its members as well as local unemployed youths under the 'contract farming scheme'.

Unemployment is one of the major problems in insurgency-infested Assam where over 70% of the people are directly dependent on agriculture.

Sanghavi Foods, which has set up its seventh plant in the country in Dalgaon in lower Asom, has assured to support the initiatives of AUX by providing seeds and technical guidance.

Bhattacharyya said plots have been identified at Darrang, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh and Nalbari, while the scheme is already under way in a land of 175 bighas at Tinsukia.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on June 6 between AUX and Sanghavi Foods for that matter.

According to the MoU, the extent of procurement or commitment on behalf of Sanghavi Foods will be subject to the quantity required by the factory for the different fruits and vegetables.

The grown fruits and vegetables, ranging from papaya, carrot, mango and lime, will be brought by the Sanghavi Foods at the rates being agreed with the office bearers of the AUX from time to time on assured buy-back basis.

Around 25 youths have already been employed under the scheme at Tinsukia, where over 30,000 papaya plants are been grown.

The papaya is the main raw material for making 'tuti fruti' used for making cakes, and Nipon is known to be its best producer in the country.

Nipon has a share of around 25% in the Rs 300 crore food processing market in the country.

Deepak Sanghavi, MD, Sanghavi Foods, who was also present at the press conference, said the cultivator will be responsible for doing all the work related to farming, including use of fertilizers.

It is estimated that a 75-bigha land would witness a turnover of Rs 5 lakh every nine months, of which around Rs 2.5 lakh would be the profit margin.

The scheme is expected to be extended to the other districts, while soil testing is under way at Nalbari.