Mega Food Parks Need of the hour to Expand the scope of Food Processing Sector:Vineet Garg

By 121 News Reporter

Chandigarh 24^th November:- Setting up of Mega Food Parks is the need of the hour to expand the scope of the Food Processing Industry", remarked  by Vineet Garg, Managing Director, HSIIDC while speaking at an International Conference on Food Processing, Storage and Distribution organized on the Third Day of the 11^th CII Agro Tech.

Newly appointed Managing Director of HSIIDC,Vineet Garg said that food processing is one of the thrust areas for Haryana's industrial policy. He shared that  Haryana has already set up parks at Saha & Rai and another one was in pipeline. He apprised the participants that the National mission for food technology has been launched in the state and a grant of Rs 20 crores has also been released for cold chain. It has courses on latest food technology. He added that National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM) at Kundli, Sonepa,   on latest food technology, is also an enabler for the sector growth in the state. Focus on DMIC corridor would give an opportunity for setting up more food parks and facilitating them through robust single window clearance. He invited feedback and recommendations from industry through CII and directly to encourage the food processing sector in Haryana

Highlighting the importance of the food processing sector,  Gokul Patnaik, Chairman Conferences – CII Agro Tech 2014 & Chairman, Global AgriSystems Pvt. Ltd said that processing can help the current wastages in the sector. He said that In India only 6-7% of fruits are converted into processed foods whereas in other countries nearly 50% of the fruits are processed.

Rajesh Srivastava, Co-Chairman, CII Agro Tech 2014 Conferences & Chairman & Managing Director, Rabo Equity Advisors said that Cold chain is a key component which is lacking in the food processing sector. It has huge potential in India is expected to grow at 15-20% per annum. Elaborating on what the models of cold chain infra he said that Power and skilled manpower is essential in strengthening the cold chain for the processed products. Only integrated models are successful in the food processing sector He added that that the promising sub sectors within primary processing are dairy, basmati, Nutraceuticals, Animal feed additives, Potato value chain and there is an opportunity in export market for Buffalo meat and Seafood .

Dr D V Pande, Chief General Manager, NABARD,  shared the institutions focus on helping farmers organise themselves into farmer producer organisations. NABARD has received a provision of Rs. 5000 crore from the Government of India to support small industries. The organization is also utilizing its efforts to strengthen the cold-storage mechanisms which will help in better storage of food products which can be processed further. Also in its efforts to support expansion of the sector, NABARD is offering funds to support the setting up of food parks.