A Study of Impact of COVID- 19 on the Fruit Processing Industry in the Ratnagiri District

Abstract

Almost all sectors in the entire world have been affected due to Corona Virus Disease-2019. Numerous governments have created quarantine conditions to limit the spread of COVID-19, urging people to stay at home and leave their home only to meet basic needs such as purchasing food, medical emergencies, and to work. The national lockdown announced by the government in March has seriously affected rural India’ s lives and livelihoods. Fruit processing industry is one of the major industry in the Konkan region. Due to lockdown announced by Government fruit processing industry in the Ratnagiri district affected due to non-availability of material, labour, market, packaging material etc. Mango and other minor fruits like amala, jamun, black berry processing industry is playing significant role in the economic upliftment of the Konkan region by value addition of highly perishables, employment generation to the rural folk, earning foreign exchange though export etc.  Due to constraints laid by Government,  hotels, juice bar, cold drink house, bakery  remain closed. As a result there was no market to the processed products in this period.  It results in huge amount blocked in inventory. Fruit processing units in this  resource region faced various problems. But due to  COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a growing awareness among people about health.  The demand for fruit juices is increasing as  immunity booster in recent period. Across the globe the demand for fruit processed products with safety standards is increasing rapidly. To grab these opportunities it is need of time to formulate strategy to strengthen marketing of fruit products in the domestic as well as global market.