Bhubaneswar, Apr 23 (KNN)  Odisha Agro Industries Corporation Limited (OAIC) is planning to set up a mega food park in Koraput district to promote food related MSME units in the district.
 
The project to promote agro based industries is being planned under the Mega Food Park Scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India.
 
The Scheme of Mega Food Park aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural production to the market by bringing together farmers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizing value addition, minimizing wastages, increasing farmers’ income and creating employment opportunities particularly in rural sector.
 
The Mega Food Park Scheme is based on “Cluster” approach and envisages a well-defined agri/ horticultural-processing zone containing state-of-the art processing facilities with support infrastructure and well-established supply chain.
 
MoFPI, which is implementing the scheme, has approved a total of 40 mega food park projects in as many as 23 states which are in various stages of implementation.
 
Last year, the Government of Odisha has taken an initiative to bring out a Food Processing Policy (2013) aiming at value addition and waste reduction of the farm produce thereby increasing the income of farmers, maximize direct and indirect employment generation opportunities in food processing sector, increase the flow of investment across the supply chain from farm to market. 
 
This policy aims at establishment of units in food parks and mega food parks, in conjunction with IPR 2007 and MSME Development Policy, 2009 and emphasizes development of supply chain and infrastructure opportunities in rural areas, development of food parks providing various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to promote the food processing industries.  (KNN/ES)