PANJIM, DEC 17
Goa government-run Horticulture Corporation has decided to harness solar energy through their carts, which will make their presence in coastal belt selling fruits and exotic vegetables.
“Around 20 solar carts are planned in the coastal belt beginning with one cart which has already started functioning on experimental basis,” Chairman, Goa State Horticulture Development Corporation Sankalp Amonkar told reporters.
He said that the first ever cart is based at their headquarters in Panjim, which is being monitored.
“Once we are happy with the functioning of this cart, we will replicate the experiment across the coastal belt,” Amonkar said.
The corporation’s initiative is a pioneer in India as nowhere there are such carts exclusively harnessing solar energy for their operational needs. Each cart costs about Rs 80,000.
Corporation’s Managing Director Orlando Rodrigues said that although the products sold at these ‘well-equipped carts’ would not be as cheap as that sold in their outlets but surely their rates are controlled.
“They are slightly cheaper than those sold in the market. Imported fruits like oranges, apples, grapes and others varieties will be sold,” he said expecting that the sale of the products on these carts would boom during the tourism season.
Rodrigues said that the solar carts have the facility to reduce the temperature of the storing facility by 20 degree Celsius which increases the shelf life of the high-value vegetables and fruits.
The corporation has roped in a Mumbai-based firm to supply products to these carts, which will be chemical-free. The officials expect that approximate six tonnes of fruits would be sold on these carts daily.
Rodrigues said that these carts would be provided free-of-cost to the franchisees and they will have to pay minimum maintenance cost for the corporation.
The new venture is an initiative by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, which will bear 50 percent of the total cost.
