Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod to import peas harvesting machine from Holland at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore as part of state's efforts to push mechanisation in farming activities.
The new machine will not only curtail the labour cost but also enhance the value addition as the peas plucked through this machine would be 100 per cent utilised for processing.
The state government through Punjab Agri Export Corporation Limited has identified Green Peas Harvester made in Holland and will be imported as a prototype.
The main purpose for introducing this harvester in Punjab was to mechanise green peas harvesting technology.
This effort of the state government will help farmers /processors to enhance area under peas and also result in diversification in agriculture, said an official spokesman.
It was also decided to develop an indigenous harvester at much lower cost once a prototype is available, it said.
Against 40 lakh metric tonne peas produced in India, 10 per cent of which is processed. Peas in Punjab are grown over 20,326 hectares of land with production of 2,08,171 MT.
