SIDCO Cold Storage is opened for Madurai vendors

Madurai: Following the complaint raised by farmers and traders on the increased spoilage of vegetables and fruits at the Mattuthavani market due to summer heat, the Madurai District Agricultural Marketing Committee will open the cold storage facility to store vegetables and fruits.

This Cold Storage facility, is located on the SIDCO campus, was originally built for moringa export, has a capacity to store 35 tonnes.

As the day temperature increases in the city, vendors at Mattuthavani and Paravai markets are worried that 5-10 tonnes of vegetables and fruits received out of 80 tonnes daily are being wasted due to a lack of adequate cold storage facilities.

A Senior Member of the Agricultural Marketing Committee said that farmers and traders can now bring their products to the SIDCO complex and auction them, thereby reducing the likelihood of produced goods going wasted. Additionally, the availability of low-cost cold storage facilities will enable them to safeguard their goods effectively.

Meanwhile, several vegetable vendors have expressed reservations over this move, expressing concerns over the additional transportation costs they have to incur by moving goods for approximately one kilometre between the market and the SIDCO campus.

The newly revamped integrated agriculture marketing unit at Sidco complex boasts an array of facilities including 50 stores for farmers, an ATM facility, a canteen, a training centre, a produce grading centre, a packing hall, a cold storage facility, and other basic amenities to provide a conducive environment for farmers and traders to conduct business efficiently