New Delhi, Apr 30 (KNN) The government seeks to treble the size of the processed food sector by increasing the level of processing of perishables from six per cent to 20 per cent of production.

“Vision 2015 Document has been finalized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI), which envisages trebling the size of the processed food sector by increasing the level of processing of perishables from six per cent to 20 per cent, value addition from 20 per cent to 35 per cent and share in global food trade from 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent by 2015.,” said Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Charan Das Mahant in Lok Sabha today.

Moreover, processing for fruit and vegetable is very low at 2.20 per cent.

“The low level of fruit and vegetable processing is due to non availability of processable varieties of raw material of right quantity and quality, seasonable nature of industry, lack of adequate post harvest infrastructure such as lack of cold chain facilities, transportation, proper storage facilities,” he said.

The government is looking at exploiting both the domestic and international market for processed food products through increasing the processing of perishable items.

Ministry of Food Processing Industries has entered in to an agreement with Germany  and France to boost processed food segments including fruits & vegetables.

Besides, the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has entered in agreements with USA, France, Canada, Netherlands, Argentina, Austria, Brazil for bilateral co-operation for promoting agro and food processing. (KNN)