Arun Nehru demands cold storage at Musiri to help banana farmers

Perambalur Member of Parliament K.N. Arun Nehru has urged the Union government to establish a modern cold storage for banana at Musiri in Tiruchi district for the benefit of farmers.

The Musiri-Kulithalai belt in Tiruchi and Karur districts, falling under Perambalur Lok Sabha constituency, is a major banana-growing region in Tamil Nadu.

“The belt encompassing Musiri, Thotttiyam, and Kulithalai, situated on the fertile banks of the Cauvery, is one of the largest banana-producing hubs in the State. Our farmers cultivate several important varieties such as poovan, rasthali, and nendran, which are supplied across the country, and form the backbone of the local agricultural economy. The region lacks modern cold storage infrastructure,” Mr. Arun Nehru said while raising the issue in Lok Sabha recently.

Pointing out that banana was a highly perishable fruit, Mr. Nehru said without adequate cold storage, farmers were frequently forced to sell the produce at throwaway prices. This caused significant financial loss and negated the farmers’ year-long hard work, the MP said.

The presence of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s National Research Centre for Banana in Tiruchi underscores the strategic importance of the crop in the region, he said and urged the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to sanction a “large-scale, modern cold storage facility in Musiri.” This would empower farmers by reducing post-harvest wastage and significantly boost the rural economy, he added.