Nagpur: Patanjali Food and Herbal Park was inaugurated in Nagpur, Maharashtra. On this occasion, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the inauguration ceremony. Baba Ramdev welcomed both of them. CM Fadnavis said, “First of all, on behalf of the people of Vidarbha, I sincerely thank Baba Ramdev ji and Acharya Balkrishna ji.”
He said that the foundation for the Mega Food Park was laid nine years ago. Despite facing several challenges, whenever he spoke to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, they assured him not to worry about Nagpur, promising to complete the project—which they ultimately did. During his speech, CM Fadnavis, while sipping juice, said that it was “really very good.”
‘Land was not given for free’
CM Fadnavis said that when they invited Baba Ramdev to Nagpur, many state governments were offering him free land to set up the project. However, when he and Gadkari requested Baba Ramdev to come to Nagpur, he agreed without seeking free land or special tenders.
“We had to ensure transparency, so we decided that the land would be allocated to the highest bidder. Our preference was for the land to be given to you at the highest price,” Fadnavis said. Baba Ramdev accepted the challenge and the land was put up for tender three times. Each time, Patanjali was the only bidder
Orange harvesting and packaging in the park
The CM said that the park will facilitate the entire process of orange production, from harvesting to processing and packaging, all in one place. It will reduce wastage and increase farmers’ profits. Patanjali will use all types of oranges, regardless of their size or quality. That apart, the peel and seeds will be utilised, minimising waste and maximising production.
The park will also feature modern cold storage facilities, allowing farmers to store their produce safely and sell it when market conditions are favourable. This will help them mitigate the impact of price fluctuations. Moreover, Patanjali plans to set up a nursery in the park to promote orange cultivation, further boosting production in the region. The announcement of an orange board is expected to provide additional support to orange growers.
