Food processing industry has potential to drive rural economy
Updated: Mar 28, 2014 04:44:16pm
Hyderabad, Mar 28 (KNN) Food processing industry in India is increasingly being seen as a potential source for driving the rural economy as it brings about synergy between the consumer, industry and agriculture, said Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Siraj Hussain.
Speaking at the inauguration of a national conference on Mega Food Parks – Attracting Investment in Food Processing Sector here today, “Food processing has the potential to dramatically improve the rural livelihoods by raising farm incomes through value addition in their agricultural produce,” he said.
“Due to its diverse agro-climatic conditions, India has a wide-ranging and large raw material base suitable for food processing industries. Presently a very small percentage of these are processed into value added products, so the scope, potential and opportunities are huge,” he added.
The event was organized by ASSOCHAM along with the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India.
The Secretary went on to say that Andhra Pradesh is a land of immense opportunities for Food Processing Industry. “To make the state self-sufficient and a leader in production of fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, medicinal plants and aromatic crops; the state government along with the Government of India is launching various useful schemes for the development of food processing in the state,” he said.
Significantly, the national conference on mega food parks provided a platform to discuss the investment opportunities in the food processing sector and to articulate expectations from the policy makers, focusing on identifying priorities of target groups etc, and was therefore, of utmost importance.
Mega Food Parks are aimed primarily at providing adequate infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry along the value chain from farm to market. The parks would bring together farmers, retailers and processors and link agricultural production to markets in order to maximize value addition, minimize wastage and improve farmers' income.
The main feature of the scheme is a cluster based approach, which is demand driven, pre marketed and would facilitate food processing units to meet environmental, safety and social standards.
Also speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary, MoFPI, Government of India, Jagdish Prasad Meena said, “Considering that India is called the fruit and vegetable basket of the world, there is a huge potentiality in food processing industry for the development of India.”
He recognized that Mega Food Parks are ideal for setting up Food Processing units involved in pulping, frozen foods, dehydration, pectin foods, poultry, juices, ready to eat, feed mixing, bottling, tetrapak and spices.
The Food Park offers conveniences of state of the art infrastructure that can be shared at lesser costs, common facilities, accessibility to markets, assured raw material supply at better prices and wider reach to markets.
Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS) is expected to facilitate the achievement of the Vision 2015 of Ministry of Food Processing Industries to raise the processing of perishables in the country.
MFPS is the flagship program of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.
On the other hand, Principal Secretary, Food processing, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, J S V Prasad said that the current challenges that are being faced by the industry need to be properly addressed and steps need to be taken to remove the bottlenecks hampering the sectoral growth.
Meanwhile, Special Secretary, Food Processing and Harvest Technology, Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka, G K Vasant Kumar, said that Karnataka is poised to become the leading food processing hub in India. “With 10 agro-climatic zones and land topography highly suitable for agriculture, Karnataka is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in India. He also said that the state is also the largest producer of spices, aromatic and medicinal plants in the country. In addition, the state has a wealth of livestock and marine resources that augur well for processing of dairy, meat, fish and shrimp.”
Others who spoke at the event are Chairman, Southern Regional Council, ASSOCHAM and Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sri City Pvt Ltd, Ravindra Sannareddy; Managing Director, Hyderabad Food Products Private Limited, Ravindra Modi, Senior Director, ASSOCHAM, Om S Tyagi. (KNN/ES)
Speaking at the inauguration of a national conference on Mega Food Parks – Attracting Investment in Food Processing Sector here today, “Food processing has the potential to dramatically improve the rural livelihoods by raising farm incomes through value addition in their agricultural produce,” he said.
“Due to its diverse agro-climatic conditions, India has a wide-ranging and large raw material base suitable for food processing industries. Presently a very small percentage of these are processed into value added products, so the scope, potential and opportunities are huge,” he added.
The event was organized by ASSOCHAM along with the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India.
The Secretary went on to say that Andhra Pradesh is a land of immense opportunities for Food Processing Industry. “To make the state self-sufficient and a leader in production of fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, medicinal plants and aromatic crops; the state government along with the Government of India is launching various useful schemes for the development of food processing in the state,” he said.
Significantly, the national conference on mega food parks provided a platform to discuss the investment opportunities in the food processing sector and to articulate expectations from the policy makers, focusing on identifying priorities of target groups etc, and was therefore, of utmost importance.
Mega Food Parks are aimed primarily at providing adequate infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry along the value chain from farm to market. The parks would bring together farmers, retailers and processors and link agricultural production to markets in order to maximize value addition, minimize wastage and improve farmers' income.
The main feature of the scheme is a cluster based approach, which is demand driven, pre marketed and would facilitate food processing units to meet environmental, safety and social standards.
Also speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary, MoFPI, Government of India, Jagdish Prasad Meena said, “Considering that India is called the fruit and vegetable basket of the world, there is a huge potentiality in food processing industry for the development of India.”
He recognized that Mega Food Parks are ideal for setting up Food Processing units involved in pulping, frozen foods, dehydration, pectin foods, poultry, juices, ready to eat, feed mixing, bottling, tetrapak and spices.
The Food Park offers conveniences of state of the art infrastructure that can be shared at lesser costs, common facilities, accessibility to markets, assured raw material supply at better prices and wider reach to markets.
Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS) is expected to facilitate the achievement of the Vision 2015 of Ministry of Food Processing Industries to raise the processing of perishables in the country.
MFPS is the flagship program of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.
On the other hand, Principal Secretary, Food processing, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, J S V Prasad said that the current challenges that are being faced by the industry need to be properly addressed and steps need to be taken to remove the bottlenecks hampering the sectoral growth.
Meanwhile, Special Secretary, Food Processing and Harvest Technology, Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka, G K Vasant Kumar, said that Karnataka is poised to become the leading food processing hub in India. “With 10 agro-climatic zones and land topography highly suitable for agriculture, Karnataka is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in India. He also said that the state is also the largest producer of spices, aromatic and medicinal plants in the country. In addition, the state has a wealth of livestock and marine resources that augur well for processing of dairy, meat, fish and shrimp.”
Others who spoke at the event are Chairman, Southern Regional Council, ASSOCHAM and Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sri City Pvt Ltd, Ravindra Sannareddy; Managing Director, Hyderabad Food Products Private Limited, Ravindra Modi, Senior Director, ASSOCHAM, Om S Tyagi. (KNN/ES)
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