The Government Information Center

To increase the product quality of the export agricultural crops, post harvest technical investment assistance is provided under 3 schemes.

1. For group processing center establishments.
2. For central processing center establishments.
3. For private processing center establishments.

Groups Eligible to Obtain the Assistance for the Group Processing Center Establishments

• Export Agricultural Crop cultivators farmer organizations
• Export agricultural crop cultivating farmers of the villagers where “Jathika Saviya” or “Janasaba” programmes are conducted.

Requirements to Fulfill

• To establish a crop processing center, adequate supply of export agricultural crop harvests must be there in that particular area.
• Should be an Active farmer organization and the organization must have adequate amount of funds for carrying out the operation.
• Submission of a project report.

Lands Selecting to Establish Processing Units

• Should be easily reachable.
• Processing units can be constructed even in a private land.
• If the land is owned by the government, the ownership of the land should be taken over to the Department of
  Export Agriculture before constructions.
• Required funds for construct should be built up through external resources.

Supply of Required Machineries to the Processing Center

• Required machines are purchased through the department funds and they are issued to farmer organization on cash loan basis.
• The ownership of the equipments is held by the department.
• After 5 years of supervision, if the machineries are working properly in good condition, the ownership of the machineries
  can be transformed to the farmer organization.
• To maintain the processing center and the machineries farmer organization should build up a fund.
• Building must be built according to the Department’s plan.
• Building and Machinery maintenance and security practices must be carried out by the farmer organization.

Establishing Central Processing Centers
Aim is to increase the employment opportunities by increasing the production of quality export agricultural crops and by enhancing value addition of the crops.

Groups Who can Get the Benefits From This Investment Assistance Scheme

• Large Scale export agricultural crop growers.
• People engaged in the Plantation crop sector
• Exporters, suppliers, farmer organizations or farmers.

Requirements for a Central Processing Center

• Project Report for the proposed central processing center.
• Buying of Machinery should be according to the departmental recommendation
• Plan for the processing center can be provided by the department of Export Agriculture.
• At least 75% of the Investment should bear by the private sector.

Requirements to Fulfill to Obtain the Investment Assistants

• Constriction of the building has to be finished and the Machineries must be in proper functioning stage.
• Examination report must be taken from the appropriate officers prior to the payments.

Payments will be done by a board of officers appointed by the Director General.

Establishing Private Processing Center
Aim is to increase the quality of the export agricultural crop produce.

Registering to the Post Harvest Technical Equipments and Investment Assistance Scheme

• Applications can be obtained and submitted by forwarding Rs.10.00 stamp to the Extension officer’s office in the
  agrarian service centers or to the District Assistant Director’s office.
• In writing approval from the District Assistant Director must be obtained for the satisfactory installation and operation of the unit.
• Enough space should be there in the building to establish the equipments.
• Building constriction must be done according to the department’s plan and prior approval must be taken from the department for the building.
• Without prior approval buying of equipments and machinery should not be done. If such thing has been done the assistance may be halted.

Drying Process

• Drying area must be constructed to prevent the mixing of inert matter.
• Drying capacity should be minimum of 250 kg per batch.
• At least 200 sq. ft. should be there.

Solar Dryers

• Area should be at least 100 sq.ft.
• Should raised 2 feet above the ground.
• Artificial Dryers (fire wood/fuel/current).
• After examining if satisfied, Investment assistance can be given.

Payments
Payments recommendation and approval is done by a board of officers, Appointed by the Director General of the Department.

Requirements for the Payments

• 2 Voucher sheets
• Agreement papers
• Original copies of the bills.
• For distillation units one can apply for grant for repairs of the unit after 5 years of receiving first installation grant.