Minister Cheema opens agro-processing complex

To enhance Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)’s capacity to curb post-harvest losses, fortify agro-processing and value addition, as well as to bolster rural livelihood, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema inaugurated an agro-processing complex (APC) and Jaggery Processing Plant on the campus on Monday. He also laid the foundation stone of a Plant Acclimatisation Facility (PAF) at the School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU.

Cheema announced that the PAU would receive a capital grant of Rs 40 crore from the state government in the 2025-26 Financial Year. He further said that the government had already significantly bolstered the PAU’s efforts in advancing agricultural research and academic infrastructure with a capital grant of Rs 20 crore in the previous financial year.

Cheema emphasised the transformative impact the ‘agro processing complex’ would have. The complex is designed to empower rural youth to become successful entrepreneurs and enhance farmers’ income through value-added processing at the village and cluster levels. He further said the acclimatisation facility would enable the PAU to provide farmers with high-quality planting material through commercial tissue culture, strengthening Punjab’s agricultural ecosystem.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal; Registrar Rishi Pal Singh; and other senior officials of the university accompanied the minister during his visit to the APC, PAF, MS Randhawa Library, Hostel No. 15, gymnasium, swimming pool, shooting Range, PAU guest house, and residential houses at the PAU.

Developed by PAU’s Department of Processing and Food Engineering at the cost Rs 46 lakh, the APC comprises machinery such as pulse mill, pulse cleaner-cum-grader, wheat flour mill, mini rice mill, rice grader, hydraulic oil processor, grain storage silo, automatic packaging machine, vacuum packaging machine, nitrogen flush packaging machine etc. Besides, an amount of Rs 2 crore has been earmarked for the establishment of PAF.