Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, on Friday said that the much awaited Patanjali’s Mega Food and Herbal Park in MIHAN will create huge opportunities for local farmers. A day before the inauguration of Asia’s largest single-point food processing unit, Acharya Balkrishna said the company will procure agricultural produce directly from the farmers, giving them the power to decide their selling price. The plant will be inaugurated on March 9 in presence of Yog Guru Ramdev, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and others. Addressing a press conference in the premises of the plant, Acharya Balkrishna further said that the new plant will be a game changer for orange growers along with other farmers. “We have developed a state-of-the-art food processing plant which is ideal for extracting juice from oranges, carrots, aloe vera, pomegranates, guavas, etc. It also has a facility for making mango pulp among other world class food processing machines which will helpusprocessabout800 tonnes of agricultural produce,’he said. The plant will utilise a zerowastesystem,processingnotjust A-grade oranges but also B and C-grade ones, as well as premature produce and oranges damaged by storms. The plant will generate various by-products, including volatile and fragrance oils from orangepeels.AcharyaBalkrishna emphasized that theplant’sfocus goes beyond just juice production,highlighting theimportance ofresearch and foreign technology in developing the system. Balkrishna also told themedia persons that the company is equipped with advanced packaging lines and cutting-edge research laboratories adhering to modern industry standards. The park aims to provide employment opportunities for locals and boost the prosperity ofnearby farmers.Patanjali'spriority is to provide high-quality products to the domestic market, with export-quality products also being made available. Acharya Balkrishna said the plant will bring an agricultural revolution in the region by way of creating a good platform for the farmers to sell their produce. “Patanjali is playing a leading role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s skill training programme aimed at enhancing workforce skills across the country,” said. Patanjali’s Mega Food and Herbal Park in MIHAN will be Asia’s largest single-point food processing unit. The Patanjali Mega Food and Herbal Park in Mihan is spread over 225 acres of land. In addition to this, the company also has about 100 acres of land in MIHAN SEZ.