Ahmedabad, 5 August 2014

Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited(GAICL) has set up Gujarat’s first and India’s second multi purpose radiation processing facility through National Agriculture Development Scheme aid of Rs. 17.50 crore near Ahmedabad at Bavla.

The Chief Minister of Gujarat is scheduled to open the facility on Thursday, August 7th.

India has 11 radiation processing facilities to irradiate the food products. Of this 6 are in Maharashtra, 2 in Karnataka while 1 each is functional at Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi. Recently one more has been approved in Uttar Pradesh. In Gujarat, Universal Medicap Limited runs the only one existing radiation processing service in the state to sterilize medical and food products through middle and high level dose. Now GAICL has set up the second such facility in Gujarat. At Bavla facility, various medical products, dry onion, garlic, masala, Isabgol, Kesar/Hafus mango, Ayurvedic medicines, pet food products will be irradiated through dosage in variety of levels.

Food and Agriculture(FAO) organization has approved the processing of agriculture produce through Gama radiation. India has permitted Gama radiation processing technology since 1994. Irradiation is considered a better option compared to chemical alternatives which are based on Ethylene and Methyl substance. Irradiation is cold process and therefore it doesn’t adversely impact the freshness of farm produce. Due to high penetration, even prepackaged food can also be treated through this technique.

GAICL facility is located at Bavla-Bagodara national highway no.8. Whie Pipavav port is just 265 km away, the Kandla port is 292 km away, Mundra port is 335 km away and Mumbai Port 555 km away. A 600 meter RCC road has been constructed to connect the facility to national highway. The facility covers 6,750 sqm area with construction standing over 2,368 sqm area. 600 sqm cold storage has been set up for storage in capacity of 50 mt. The facility has capacity of 1,000 KCI. At present 60 KCI cobalt has been loaded. X-ray scanner and rapiscan machines are available here. There are two fork lifts for tranfer of produce.

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has given permission for commercial activity at this facility.

GAICL has selected Vadodara based Universal Medicap PVT Ltd to maintain, operate and manage the facility as the firm has required experience and skill for that task.

GAICL already runs an integrated packing house at Naroda in Ahmedabad for fruits and vegetables. A centre for perishable cargo will soon be functional at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport. Through integration of both these facilities, mangoes will be exported in next summer season to USA and Australia through Ahmedabad airport. While APEDA approved Naroda packing house will pack Kesar and Hafus mangoes arrived from leading exporters and farmers, the Bavla unit will give iridium treatment to export oriented produce.

The Bavla facility will also make a way for smooth export of dry onion, garlic, masala, Isabgol and other products.

The Bavla facility will work as demonstration set up for private entrepreneurs who may set up similar facility at Vasad(Tuver Dal), Unjha(Masala Isabgole), Mahuva(Onion, dry onion) etc in future.