GFPF offers more organic fruit products for festive season, supports farmers in fruit production

SHIVADEEP RAI

 

Gangtok: Government Fruit Preservation Factory (GFPF) in Singtam offered spices for Dussehra and Diwali festivity by launching nine different varieties of mixed pickles of Nakema, Lapsi and tree tomato. Once again GFPF has produced new products for the festivals of Loosong, Christmas and New Year.

On December 7, GFPF launched organically made Crystallized Ginger Candy and Ginger Powder to give a different taste of ginger to the people. For the first time, ginger has been used in making candies. The product is unique in its taste as well as its medicinal value. None has ever tried ginger to make candies as it will be marketed from Sikkim, Ms. Nima L Yethenpa, Managing Director of the company. “This time we have concentrated on ginger products to boost ginger production in the State and to support the farmers engaged in ginger cultivation”, she told reporters.

The crystallized ginger candy would be available in pouches at the rate of Rs 2 and 5 and 400 gms for Rs 45. The ginger powder which can be used in household as well as commercial cooking would be available at Rs 35 for 50 gms. The ginger powder is organically made and finely ground which will eradicate the problem of grinding by hand or machine.

The two products would be available in the market from December 10. For the production of the said ginger items, GFPF has procured 4141 kgs of organically produced ginger from Namchi and Yangang in the south district and Sichey in the east, and 2.5 metric tons of ginger items have been produced. A dryer machine worth Rs 1.56 lakhs is acquired by GFPF for the production of ginger candies.

According to the State Horticulture Department, 6.683 hectares of area is occupied for ginger cultivation in the State for the production of 35.634 metric tones of the cash crop and the yield is 5332 kg per hectare yielded. Apart from ginger items, GFPF is all set to launch other new products this year, including Bhakimlo Dallae pickle marinated in oil, Soyabean pickle in oil and Orange Segment saturated in sugar syrup, the MD informed. Bhakimlo stuffed with Dallae chilli and Soyabean pickle would be available in the market at Rs.125 for 400 gms. Presently, Bhakimlo pickle of considerable medicinal value is available only at the GFPF sale counter due to the limited supply of Bhakimlo and its limited stock. Only 17.5 kgs of Bhakimlo could be procured by GFPF this time. Orange Segment would be available in the market after two weeks at the tag price of Rs 85 for 450 mgs. All the GFPF products are organically produced.

GFPF is planning to conduct research on seasonal fruits and products thereof, the MD informed. She said procurement and utilization of organically produced fruits in large quantities by GFPF is a part of the project initiated by the State Government to boost horticulture and to provide financial support to the farmers engaged in the cultivation of fruits.

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