Yadgir, June 05: Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, today inaugurated the Women–Led Agro–Processing Centre and Farmers’ Training and Common Facility Centre (FT-CFC) at Baddepalli in Yadgir district, Karnataka. The facility is the fifth such centre established under a series of farmer-centric initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains across the Kalyana Karnataka region.
The centre has been established by NABARD leveraging the Hon’ble Minister’s MPLADS funds, to promote value addition, reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for farmers.
A distinctive feature of the project is that it is being managed by Baddepalli Women Farmers Producer Company Limited, an FPO comprising 727 women members, making it the first women–led agro–processing facility in the region. The centre is expected to serve as a model for women–led rural enterprises by enabling women farmers to participate across the agricultural value chain – from production and processing to branding and marketing.
Addressing the gathering, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said: “I am delighted to inaugurate this agro–processing centre, which is entirely operated by women. Yadgir, one of Karnataka’s youngest districts, continues to face developmental challenges, including low female literacy and multidimensional poverty. Initiatives such as this will help improve incomes, generate employment opportunities, and enhance the overall quality of life in the district.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Yadgir’s economy, with nearly 75 per cent of the district’s land under cultivation. The district produces around 22,500 metric tonnes of groundnuts annually. This facility will enable farmers to convert raw produce into value-added products such as roasted and salted peanuts, peanut butter, groundnut oil and de-oiled cake, thereby improving returns to producers.
I urge NABARD to facilitate wider market access for these products through e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms. I also request the district administration to extend all necessary support to ensure that the unit achieves its full potential. I look forward to seeing ‘Yadgir Groundnut’ emerge as a recognised brand, much like other successful agricultural products from across the country.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Shaji K.V., Chairman, NABARD, said: “The Yadgir Training-cum-Processing Centre represents a scalable model for farmer-led value addition and women’s entrepreneurship. It is aligned with the vision of Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to strengthen women’s participation in economic activities and create sustainable livelihood opportunities in rural areas.
NABARD has been entrusted with facilitating a sustainable training and processing ecosystem across the Kalyana Karnataka region through the effective utilisation of MPLADS support. We are grateful to the Government of Karnataka and the district administration for their partnership in making this initiative a reality.”
The centre is equipped to process 480 metric tonnes of groundnuts annually and manufacture a range of value-added products including peanut butter, groundnut oil, roasted and salted peanuts, and de-oiled cake. Product quality and food safety standards will be supported through testing at the NABL-accredited laboratory of the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Raichur.
In addition to processing activities, the facility will function as a training and capacity-building hub for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and rural youth. A multi-channel marketing strategy has been developed, combining traditional retail networks and trader partnerships with digital platforms such as ONDC, while exploring onboarding opportunities with leading e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms.
The Yadgir centre builds upon the success of four similar facilities established earlier in Koppal, Raichur, Ballari and Vijayanagara, further strengthening the region’s agricultural processing infrastructure and farmer-owned enterprises.
The event was attended by Shri Sanjay Lohiya, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Government of India; Captain Dr. K. Rajendra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka; Shri B.G. Patil, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council; Shri Sharana Gouda Kandakur, MLA, Gurumathakal Constituency; Dr. A.K. Sood, Deputy Managing Director, NABARD; Shri Sanjiv Puri, Chairman and Managing Director, ITC Limited; along with senior officials from the State Government, NABARD, banks, FPOs and the farming community.