'Govt to raise food processing level to 20% by 2015'
Press Trust of India / New Delhi Nov 19, 2009, 19:13 IST
The government today said it plans to increase the level of food processing by over threefold to 20 per cent by 2015 with a view to raise the country's share in global processed food products market.
"Vision 2015 Document has been finalised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, which envisages tripling the size of the processed food sector by increasing the level of processing of perishables from 6 per cent to 20 per cent, value addition from 20 per cent to 35 per cent and share in global food trade from 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent," Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The low level of fruit and vegetable processing is mainly due to non-availability of processable varieties of raw materials at right quantity and quality and lack of post harvest infrastructure like cold chain facilities, transportation, he said.
To another question, Sahai replied that the Ministry has no proposal to frame a new law in place of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
He said the Centre has notified Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science-based standards to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
The Health and Family Welfare is the nodal ministry for implementation of the Act, he added.
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