Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, and Shipping Nitin Gadkari along with Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday inaugurated Asia’s largest orange processing plant, ‘Patanjali Mega Food & Herbal Park’ established by Patanjali at MIHAN, Nagpur.

Honouring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chief Minister Fadnavis stated that the vision of infrastructure man Nitin Gadkari, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev, and Acharya Balkrishna for expanding Patanjali’s services in the state has now taken a grand shape.

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Despite multiple obstacles in its establishment, Ramdev remained determined to accomplish this mission, and today, that mission has been realized. Patanjali’s primary objective is the prosperity of local farmers.

He revealed that, as per discussions with Acharya Balkrishna, this food park will serve as the central hub for processing all oranges from the region.

Sorting and grading will be done here, and cold storage facilities will be provided for farmers. Farmers will be able to store their oranges for as long as they wish and sell them at their convenience. He emphasized that this center will prove to be a boon for orange growers.

The commitments made by the Maharashtra government and Patanjali are being fulfilled one by one, and in the coming days, the Patanjali Food Park will establish a robust system for farmers in the region.

The Chief Minister assured that the Maharashtra government will extend all possible support to Patanjali in this noble endeavor.

During the inauguration, Nitin Gadkari expressed his gratitude to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for accepting his and Devendra Fadnavis’s request to set up a fruit processing industry in MIHAN, Nagpur.

He highlighted the importance of the initiative, which brings technological advancements to the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park in Mihan, providing relief to farmers and employment opportunities for the youth.

He asserted that their support and broad vision will pave the way for the upliftment of the underprivileged and the oppressed.

Gadkari pointed out that over 10,000 farmers in Vidarbha have committed suicide, primarily due to not receiving fair prices for their produce.

However, the establishment of this food park has rekindled hope among farmers. While small-sized oranges were earlier sold at ₹12 per kg, Patanjali has assured procurement at ₹18 per kg. With a daily demand of 800 tons of oranges at this facility, efforts must be made to boost orange production. He added that Agro Vision is working to enhance the production of oranges, lemons, and sweet limes.

Currently, the yield per acre in Nagpur is around 4-5 tons, which they aim to increase to 25-30 tons. He expressed confidence that with government efforts and Patanjali’s commitment, Vidarbha’s farmers will no longer be forced into suicide.

Speaking at the event, Baba Ramdev described Nagpur as an exemplary metropolis, not only in terms of infrastructure but also for its religious, cultural, spiritual, industrial, security, and economic significance.

He praised the two national-level leaders from Nagpur— Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari—for their visionary leadership.

Ramdev highlighted that Patanjali has invested around ₹1,000 crore in establishing Asia’s largest orange processing plant in Nagpur, with an additional ₹500 crore investment planned. He stated that this plant is equipped with cutting-edge machinery sourced from India and abroad.

Swamiji also emphasized that orange juice is one of the best anti-aging drinks, preventing premature aging. He criticized existing market juices, which contain only 10% juice, 40% sugar, and the rest as diluted solutions.

In contrast, Patanjali’s Nagpur plant will produce 100 per cent pesticide-free, preservative-free, and sugar-free orange juice for the nation and the world. With a processing capacity of 800 tons per day, the initiative aims to boost farmers’ prosperity and herald a new revolution in agriculture and industry.

Acharya Balkrishna, addressing the gathering, acknowledged the extraordinary contributions of three eminent personalities in realizing the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park—Swami Ramdev’s foresight, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s commitment to Maharashtra’s progress, and Nitin Gadkari’s dedication to Vidarbha’s farmers.

He stated that Patanjali’s vision is to empower people, promote self-reliance through indigenous initiatives, and create a sustainable future. He added that whenever Vidarbha is mentioned, it is often associated with struggling farmers on the verge of suicide.

However, the establishment of this orange processing unit in Nagpur aims to eradicate poverty and transform the region’s economic landscape.

Regional MLA Shri Ashish Deshmukh remarked that Nagpur has been blessed with the presence of a ‘saint’ for its oranges. The establishment of this processing unit has brought joy to the region’s orange farmers, and in the coming days, it will lead to economic prosperity in Vidarbha.

He urged Swami Ramdev to eliminate the role of middlemen and traders in the supply chain so that farmers can benefit directly. Farmers in Vidarbha see the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park as a beacon of hope.

The event was attended by local MLA Ashish Jaiswal, BJP National Co-Organization Secretary Shiv Prakash, Patanjali Foods Ltd MD Rambharat, NP Singh, Prof Sadhvi Devpriya, Anshul, Parul, Swami Parmarth Dev, farmers from Vidarbha and Maharashtra, and members of the Patanjali Women’s Yoga Committee and various organizations under Patanjali Yogpeeth.