Orissa to woo major players in food processing sector

The Orissa government plans to woo major players in the food processing industries to promote investment in this sector. They will be contacted for setting up manufacturing base in the state.

Besides, concerted efforts will be made for setting up of industries based on maize which is available in Nawarangpur district. As a measure in that direction, the state government plans to hold a meeting of food processing industries in February this year, sources said.

It may be noted, companies like Britannia, Parle Ago and ITC Agro have already evinced interest to set up food processing units in the state.

The chief minister Naveen Patnaik recently reviewed the progress of the food processing industries in the state. It was decided that there should be role demarcation for the Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa Limited (APICOL) and Director of Industries (DI) for promotion of food processing industries in the state.

It will be taken up by the Development Commissioner (DC) in the next meeting of the Task force on food processing. Further, the Mega Food park, which is under the consideration of the Union government, should have provisions for processing of multi products. Sources said, Orissa ranks fourth among the vegetable producing states of the country with coconut and cashew being two major produce in the long coast line.

To boost the food processing sector, the state government has initiated several measures to provide incentives. Under Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR), 2007, agro-processing sector has been declared as the ‘thrust sector’.

Due to the proactive measure taken by the government, 9476 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have been set up under food and allied category in the state at an investment of Rs 321 crore. These units have been able to generate employment for 66,803 persons.