State set to revive gamma irradiation project

Kolkata: The state Food Processing Industries & Horticulture (FPI&H) department is all set to revive its gamma irradiation project at Chinsurah in Hooghly district with the aim to augment its export of fruits and betel leaf.

There is a great potential for export of mangoes and some other fruits to the American provinces.

But the state government has failed to tap this market due to the strict export standards followed there in which killing of bacteria by using the gamma irradiation technology is mandatory.

"We have held talks with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre which will help us in our endeavour to the gamma irradiation project. The project document has already been prepared," said Subrata Gupta, Principal Secretary of FPI& H department.

There is no such facility in the entire eastern India. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat have procured mangoes from

Bengal and have used the gamma irradiation technology to export it to the American countries. The building for housing the gamma radiation machine is already there but the machine that was installed is lying defunct due to non use for several years. The erstwhile Left government had collaborated with Jadavpur University for the project but the latter had allegedly conceived it as an academic project and hence the commercial viability could not be tapped.

Bengal exports three varieties of mangoes—Himsagar, Langra and Lakshmanbhog to the Arabian countries and also to some countries in Europe where the export standards are not extremely stringment. The Amrapali variety of mango which is grown in Bankura has also made it to the export list for the last two years.

"The export potential of betel leaf (paan) which is cultivated mainly in South 24-Parganas, Nadia and Midnapore will also receive a big boost with the installation of the gamma irradiation facility. Betel leaf is in huge demand in North America where it is used as an edible vegetable, " said a senior official of FPI&H department.

The gamma irradiation process uses Cobalt 60 radiation for a variety of applications including sterilisation, decontamination and materials modification. It kills microorganisms of different products in a specially designed cell.