Mysuru:  Mysuru- based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) and Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) are despatching ready-to-eat meals and other food items that have long shelf-life to rain-ravaged Kodagu and Kerala.

DFRL has sent three tonnes of food items for flood-affected people and the loads were despatched on Saturday. The consignment was airlifted from the Mysuru Airport at Mandakalli.

The consignment consisted of ready-to-eat tomato bath and upma and instant upma. Instant upma packs of 10 kg each was meant for use in camps. It has to be mixed with hot water for consumption.

The government-owned enterprise will send its second consignment by an IAF aircraft. “We are planning to airdrop the food packets over the worst-affected regions,” said an official.

CFTRI is preparing ready-to-eat food items including upma, imli poha and chapathis. It is also preparing high-protein biscuits and rusks. While 5,000 meals will be dispatched to Kodagu by trucks, the other 5,000 meals will be sent to Kerala.