The AICRP on PHET (the erstwhile AICRP on PHT), Khanapara Centre was established in the year 2004 under the Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara, Guwahati- 781 022. Initially the sub-centre was attached with the AICRP on PHT, Jorhat Centre; however, on the recommendations of the QRT- 11^th Plan, it was upgraded to a full-fledged centre in the year 2013. And since then this centre has been working independently.

Mandate

Ø To develop location and crop/commodity specific post-harvest technologies for minimization of quantitative and qualitative losses to produce of agriculture and allied sectors.

Ø To adapt and develop improved post-harvest processes and equipment for value addition to food grains and other produce at rural threshold for higher income and generation of rural employment.

Ø To develop processes and equipment for economic utilization on bio-wastes and by-products.

Ø To conduct operational research and multi-location trials on developed technologies to identify technical, financial, managerial and social constraints for better market acceptability to technologies.

Ø To establish need based Agro-Processing Centres (APCs) to assure better economic returns to the farmers from their marketable surpluses in the production catchments.

Ø To assess, refine and transfer proven technologies.

Objectives:

Ø To study the prevailing post- harvest practices and identifies unit operations, equipment and their components that need improvement or substitution, adequacy and inadequacy of the prevailing practices.

Ø To develop and adopt farm level cleaners, graders and dryers for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, plantation crops, tubers and other field crops.

Ø To developed simple processes, low cost equipment and pilot plants for farm/ village level processing of food grains, oilseeds and other crops for rural consumption, as well as for selling value added products to semi-urban and urban areas for better economic returns.

Ø To developed simple processes and equipment at farm/ village level for better economic utilization of agricultural wastes and by-products as food/feed/fuel etc. for increasing profitability of the commodity and income of the farmers.

Ø To undertake studies on techno-economic feasibility and economical viability of on farm/ village processing industries.

Ø To field evaluate laboratory proven technologies and carry out operational research trails on the developed technologies for villages to identify technical, managerial and social constraints and take remedial measures before releasing for popularization.

Ø To create post-harvest technology consciousness and transfer of proven technologies in selected villages and monitoring its effect on economic and social development.

Ø To generate income and employment in rural areas through adoption of proven technologies and equipment through establishing agro-processing centres.