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CHENNAI, June 11

THE State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu made a pitch to potential investors to take up space at the Eco-Enterprises Park proposed to come up in the Nilakottai Agro Industrial Complex in Dindigul district.

Addressing the entrepreneurs here on Wednesday, Mr T.R. Srinivasan, Chairman, State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), said that the 50-acre park aims to promote environmentally sound businesses such as agro-based industries including horticulture and medicinal plant processing units.

This would serve as a value addition to the varied agricultural output from the hinterland. The region is known for its horticultural produce including mangoes and medicinal plants. The park would facilitate contract farming to enable the units to source raw materials.

Developed land with assured power and water facilities would be available to the investors at Rs 6 lakh per acre. The park is located on NH 7, about 30 km from Dindigul and Madurai.

The cluster of agro-based activities that are envisaged in the complex, which include a food park, an agri export zone and a winery would add to the locational advantage.

The Eco-Enterprises Park is located in the 388-acre Nilakottai Agro Industrial Complex, which will soon include a food park, a joint venture between SIPCOT and the Agriculture Department.

A Special Purpose Vehicle is to be promoted to set up the food park. The food park will have common infrastructure that could be used by processing units.

Facilities would include cold storages, quality control laboratories, aseptic packaging and spray drying units.

Nilakottai was also a part of the Agri Export Zone for mangoes. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation is also looking at a winery project, which is likely to be located at Nilakottai, he said.

Responding to a question, Mr Srinivasan said that a Rs 10 crore eco venture fund would be set up for promoting industries in the park.

However, the details are yet to be firmed up. The industries that are likely to come up at the park are biological software like biopesticides, biofertilisers and vermiculture, herbal technology, horticulture technology and renewable energy technology.

The Agriculture Secretary, Mr T.S. Sridhar, said that the Government was reorienting agriculture development with focus on agro-processing, value addition and exports.

To access export markets, agriculture production has to be integrated with environmental concerns, adhere to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, and to exploit opportunities presented by organic farming.

Dr M.S. Swaminathan, Vice-Chairman, State Planning Commission, said that quality considerations increasingly forming the basis for non-tariff barriers, `good ecology is good business.'

The eco enterprises park can catalyse environment-friendly industries. Ideally, the units coming up at the park could concentrate on water technologies, like development of low water farming, including products relating to moisture retention and efficient use of water; energy related products concerning biogas, biomass and wind energy; health applications like indigenous medicine systems and herbal products.

`More sops are needed'

ENTREPRENEURS at the investor meet for the Eco-Enterprises Park organised by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, called for measures to make available financial assistance at competitive interest rates. Clearance procedures need to be simplified through a single window clearance and marketing support.

According to one investor, the Government could think of a financial institution to extend loans at competitive interest rates. Clearances need to be simplified to bring down interaction between investors and large number of Government departments. This would help to bring down expenses, they said.

According to one medicinal plants farmer, support was needed to market medicinal plants. While there was talk about encouraging medicinal plants cultivation, there was little information dissemination. Enthusiastic farmers who had taken up cultivation of such plant are unable to identify buyers for their products. To encourage medicinal plants cultivation, research institutes, manufacturers and farmers need to be brought together to understand the market requirements, they said.

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