Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Apr 1 (PTI) A modern fruit and vegetable processing unit will be set up in Punjab’s Chabbewal constituency after the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries approved the project, Lok Sabha MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal said on Wednesday.

The project, estimated around Rs 18 crore, is likely to be operational within a year and aims to boost cultivation and processing of fruits and vegetables in the region.

Chabbewal, along with MLA Ishank Kumar, recently met Union Minister Chirag Paswan in New Delhi to get approval for the project.

The unit will mainly process crops like peas and potatoes and is expected to benefit farmers in Hoshiarpur and nearby areas.

“The project will help promote crop diversification and increase farmers’ income by providing better market linkages and value addition,” Chabbewal said. PTI COR VSD TRB