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Food Processing sector needs cold chain units, common facilities: Kurade
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Wednesday, 06 July, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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fiogf49gjkf0d fiogf49gjkf0d The Indian food processing sector needs cold chain units and common facilities to spur the manufacturing of value-added products, according to Sagar Kurade, president, All India Food Processors Association, and managing director, Suman Projects Consultants P. Ltd. Sagar made this observation while speaking to FnB News on the sidelines of the recently-held national seminar on ‘Opportunities for Food Processing. The seminar was organised by All India Food Processors Association (AIFPA).
Kurade stated, “Although food parks set up across the country are equipped with both cold chain units and common facilities, yet their accessibility is a concern. Most of these parks are far away from farmlands and logistics of transport and reach besides marketing final products is posing a huge concern. This is where we see the need for stand-alone cold chains and common facilities in the vicinity of the captive farm where its produce could be stored until such time it is marketed or processed.”
The southern states are promising hubs for the food processing industry to be established and this is where the Karnataka government’s Agribusiness & Food Processing Policy 2015 is a step in the right direction. However, the point to be highlighted is that an investment promotion subsidy for the micro medium and small enterprises (MSMEs) which is 35 per cent of the value of total investment up to maximum of Rs 65 lakh needs upper revision. States of Jharkhand and Bihar have announced the subsidies that are more relevant to the current times and we are keen to see that other states follow suit with similar updated financial support, according to him.
With reference to food parks, the AIFPA chief stated that it would take a while for the parks to take off. The primary concern is the weakened response to the massive infrastructure. From an entrepreneur stand point, it is the factors that would drive to commission his operations from a food park, which does not provide him the ease-of-use. Investors of food parks will need to take a relook at the practicality of such an infrastructure.
“An emerging trend is the setting of food processing units on a portion of a farmland where access to fresh produce, cold chains and faster market approach are considerations that weigh in favour of such investments,” said Kurade.
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