Overview
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman formally inaugurated the NABARD‑ and MP‑LAD‑funded Farmers’ Training and Common Facility Centre in Baddepalli on Thursday, handing management to the Baddepalli Women’s Farmer Producer Company.
- The centre began operating about six months ago but has used only roughly 15% of its processing capacity so far, leaving most equipment and space idle.
- Sitharaman said she was told intermediaries are diverting groundnuts to outside markets and she pressed the district administration and NABARD to remove procurement barriers so the women’s unit can buy directly from farmers.
- Planned outputs include cleaned, roasted and salted peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oil and de‑oiled cake, and officials are in discussions with ITC, organised retailers and digital platforms to build branding and sales channels.
- Yadgir produces about 22,500 tonnes of groundnuts a year and the Finance Ministry sees the Baddepalli unit as one of seven district hubs in Kalyana Karnataka that could reduce post‑harvest loss, create local jobs and attract private investment if supply‑chain blockages are fixed.