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“Processed foods for elite misconception and should be shunned”: Badal
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Monday, 24 November, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Abhitash Singh, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d One of the reasons why the food processing sector in India is not growing at a rapid pace is the myth that processed foods are for the elite. This was stated by food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who added that it should be shunned.
She added, “There is a misconception among people that processed foods are not for the common man. The growth of this sector in the country is linked to and adversely affected by this myth, which acts as a deterrent to those who wish to set up processed food ventures.”
She met the country’s vice-president Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan to discuss the problems faced by the industry and seek solutions to resolve them. One of the key issues was product approvals.
Another problem ailing the industry was the fact that various products lay at the ports, increasing the burden on the pockets of small investors who are keen to set up food processing units.
The minister said her ministry was taking a number of initiatives, about which she provided details. She added that there was a plan to increase the farmers’ yield by bringing food processing to the farm level.
Commenting on the focus areas of food processing, Badal said, “The sector is going to boom in the coming years. The use of agro technology is one of prime minister Narendra Modi’s focus areas.”
“I had asked my ministry’s think-tank to prepare a national food map that would showcase all the agriculture and livestock produce and food processing potential states and areas, so that we can know our strengths and weaknesses and tackle them with suitable interventions,” she added.
Badal said, “My main focus would be to install food processing growth engines at the village farm level, so that agriculture gets a boost and the wastage is reduced.”
“Apart from focussing on reducing the wastage and losses of fruit and vegetables, our aim is to optimise the yield per acreage of land by inducting better technology and simultaneously to provide farmers a double benefit,” she added.
“Our ministry also wants to develop special food processing zones across the country, including the North-Eastern states. I am also focussing on small-scale food processing units for women, to make them financially self-reliant,” Badal said.
“We are laying more emphasis on special food processing units to impart skill development to augment skills and bring up a skilled workforce,” the minister added.
“And for the same, state governments should support the Centre and do what must be done to create a food processing environment in the country. We also need to build a Brand India for processed food exports and state-specific brands for our domestic national markets, because apart from Brand India, we have a domestic market that we must tap,” she added.
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