New Delhi, June 01, 2017: Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti today said up to four mega food parks will become operational during the course of next three months. Sadhvi Jyoti, inaugurating a national conference on cold chain, said, “Only two mega food parks became operational between 2009 and 2014 whereas six mega food parks became operational between 2014 and 2017 likewise 42 mega food parks will become operational by 2019.” Highlighting that the government sanctioned 63 cold chain projects since 2014, the Union Minister said, “We have received 300 proposals for setting up new cold chain projects, which shows that industry across India is taking interest in food processing sector as we have received many applications from north-eastern states like Nagaland, Manipur and others.” She said while the government is working at a rapid pace for development of food processing sector, the industry should impart training to the farmer to take utmost care of quality of produce. The Union Minister said she had suggested her Ministry to provide storage facilities for perishable products in the market itself like for wheat and rice, so that farmer can take it to the desired place later. “I hope this suggestion will be considered by the cabinet.” Talking about her recent meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Union Minister said, “We and the state government will ensure that land, power, safety and all sorts of facilities will be provided to industrialists willing to set up food park in the state.” She said she was surprised to note that there was not even a single food park in such a huge state which is equivalent to a country’s size. Earlier, while addressing the ASSOCHAM conference, Mr D.K. Singh, chairman, APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) said that his organisation is working on horticulture sector to increase export basket. He informed that APEDA is trying to export and promote mangoes in a big way. “When we think of a business plan in logistics development we must also think those aspects which are relevant in a particular market,” said Mr Singh highlighting that feedback received from Korea on export of mangoes was not good, in terms of quality, packaging and other related issues. He rued the fact that logistics for cold chain for import items is better than for the export items as those products have to be brought and quickly distributed to the consumers. “That segment is well off and the industry is ready for a distribution network but not for exports and industry is not ready to work with farmers,” said the APEDA chief. He added that merely creating few cold storage for potato, apple, grapes would not be sufficient in order to increase farmers’ income, as such a system needs to be put in place to collect the farmers’ produce at the farm, sort it, grade it in next 5-6 hours and then transport to a place having pre-cooling facility and from there to the pack house for higher level of packaging and processing and then from that point it is taken to the port for export.
United News of India
