The state is intensifying its efforts to reach the target of 1.2 million hecrates by 2003 as it will increase the availability of fruits from 57 million tonnes to 93 million tonnes, said Umeshchandra Sarangi, state agriculture secretary.

Speaking on "horticulture and fruit processing and bio-technology," at the Agro Advantage Maharashtra Global Investor's Convention, Sarangi said that Maharashtra plays a major role in India's horticulture as it produces 12 per cent of the fruits and 10 per cent of vegetables of the country' production.

The export contribution of Maharashtra for fresh vegetables and fruits to the India basket was 30 per cent and that of processed food products nearly 50 per cent.

He said that Maharashtra contributes 78 per cent of Thomson seedless grape production in India and theexports were to the tune of 25,000 tonnes in 1995-96. The state contributes nearly 18 per cent of the mango production of the country with exports being 85 per cent of the total.

Maharashtra contributes 85 per cent of the total pomegranate production in Indian the mandarin orange production in the state was 48 per cent of the total production of country and exports have commenced recently.

Maharashtra also ranks second in banana production and contributes 39 per cent to the banana basket of India and the state was the largest producer of onion contributing to 58 per cent of the total production of India and has an export share of nearly 65 per cent.

Sarangi said that Maharashtra has been adding about 0.1 million acres of fruit plantation every year through government supported promotion schemes. These plantations will enhance the availability of fruits in the coming three to five years and the yield per hectare will also rise as modern cultivation practices such as drip irrigation, fertigation and plantprotection measures were adopted.

Sarangi said that aseptic bulk packaging units for mango, pineapple and kokum have potential in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri district and similar units in Amravati will be feasible for mandarin oranges, pineapple and mango while units in Jalgaon/Nanded can process banana.

Frozen fruit pulps can be manufactured in Pune and Nashik districts employing available mango, papaya, tomato, strawberry and broccoli. Production of coconut products such as cream powder or sterilised drinks can be planned in Konkan region.

He said that manufacture of dehydrated onions and vegetables has potential in Buldhana, Nashik and Dhulia districts and oleoresin extraction was feasible in Buldhana, Sangli, Kolhapur and Konkan area. Sarangi said that the state government has recently announced incentive package for agro and food sector and added that it will definitely give a boost and encourage private sector participation in a big way. He informed that the government will not hold not more than 26per cent equity in certain projects. He said that a subsidiary of Gammon India has submitted a proposal for converting the orange processing units at Katol and Mulshi in Vidarbha region into a multi fruit units at the cost of Rs 40 crore. Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation, the government nodal agency will hold an equity of Rs 4.93 crore in this project.