COVID-19 lockdown: Pune institute manufacturing dehydrated vegetables

In a bid to save people from getting contracted by COVID-19 virus, while they venture out constantly for buying vegetables, an institute in Shirur town of Maharashtra's Pune district is endorsing and manufacturing dehydrated vegetables. The idea, which has come to the rescue of farmers as well as customers, is helpful in areas where the supply of vegetables has stopped.

Pune: As the nation enters into the third phase of coronavirus-induced lockdown, fearful Indians are risking their lives while they venture out to buy vegetables and other essentials. At a time, when the situation demands strong immune systems, people are stacking up shelves with nutritional food to build one, but vegetables being perishable items need a constant supply.

Therefore, in a bid to save people from getting contracted by COVID-19 virus, while they venture out constantly for buying vegetables, an institute in Shirur town of Maharashtra's Pune district is endorsing and manufacturing dehydrated vegetables. The idea, which has come to the rescue of farmers as well as customers, is also helpful in areas where the supply of vegetables has stopped.

With having a shelf life of six months, the dehydrated vegetable will not only lessen the danger of infection but will also give good returns to the farmers, who are getting a meagre price of their produce otherwise.

With the help of technology, Anandghana industries, an institute run by Gramin Tantradnyan has made available dried up vegetables to the market to meet the daily needs of the people. The vegetables are dried up in a manner so that their nutritional value remains unaffected.

In this method, farm produce is collected directly from farms, giving farmers a fair compensation according to market rates. Throughout the process of acquiring farm produce, harvesting, drying, packing and distribution, utmost care is taken about hygiene. After the process of dehydration, fruits and vegetables are sold to customers at a reasonable price along with required information about nutrients.

"The institute has thus made a stock of many dried vegetables including Spinach, coriander, fenugreek, for direct use in the kitchen. Tomato, potato, beetroot, garlic, lemon, onion, green chilli are available in the form of slices, flex and powder," said Geetaram Kadam, an official of the institute.

"We will supply these dried vegetables to malls, grocery stores as well as medical stores, cooperative societies through farmers and women self-help groups. Thereby we will support them also," he added.