FNB News - Fruit, vegetable loss percentage must be reduced: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

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Fruit, vegetable loss percentage must be reduced: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Saturday, 13 September, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

Our Bureau, New Delhi

Food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal stressed on the need for bringing down the percentage of losses in agricultural commodities, particularly in fruit and vegetables, from the present 18 per cent to much lower levels at a meeting with the food processing industries ministers of states and Union Territories (UT).

It was organised by the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) in association with the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in New Delhi. Badal added that impetus on food processing could result to self-reliance in food production and maximisation of yield.

She said that the wastage of fruit and vegetables worked out to around Rs 44,000 crore a year, which could be reduced significantly by suitable investments in the food processing sector. She added that only 2-3 per cent of the fruit and vegetables were being processed, and thus there was a great opportunity in the food processing sector.

Commenting on the progress in the National Mission for Food Processing (NMFP), the minister noted with satisfaction that, in the first six months of the present year, 50 per cent of the grants given to the states was going to be utilised, which was a healthy trend.

She urged the representatives of the states and UT to suggest how the losses could be reduced. She also stressed upon using practical engineering solutions using simple techniques, particularly at the harvesting and transportation stages, so that farmers could fetch a better price for their produce and the wastage would be minimised.

Siraj Hussain, secretary, ministry of food processing industries, welcomed the representatives from Goa, Manipur, Odisha, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Karnataka. The representatives of various states and UT also shared their experiences, concerns and suggestions with Badal.

Lt Gen A K Singh, governor, Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands, noted that 30 per cent of India’s fish resources were on the islands, adding that the UT would collaborate with Andhra Pradesh to develop the sector. Badal also advised them to undertake processing activities in the coconut sector.

Mahadev Naik, Goa’s industries minister, suggested that cold storage be set up in the coastal state’s villages for the processing of fish and meat. The minister also urged them to also look at the upgradation of rice mills through the grants made available by the ministry.

Karnataka agriculture minister Krishna Byregowda stressed on the need for backward integration of retail units with the food processing projects, so as to achieve a direct connect between consumers and producers. He added that investments in organised retail would result in efficiencies in the food chain and better value for farmers.

Byregowda also highlighted the need for deregulation of agriculture markets. Citing the southern state’s example, he said that Internet-based auctioning of agricultural products as well as marketing deregulation had brought good results, and requested that food processing sector be included in priority agricultural lending by banks.

Badal said that her ministry was looking at a new scheme of mega food parks, where a cluster-based approach would be followed. This would give flexibility to prospective entrepreneurs regarding the areas, numbers and nature of units to be set up in these facilities.