CFTRI transfers tech to entrepreneurs

During 2008-09, the country’s prestigious Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has transferred technology to 52 entrepreneurs, including women from India, Thailand and Tanzania.

These entrepreneurs have obtained 66 food-processing technologies that were released by the Mysore-based institute for commercialisation. Seventeen of these technologies have patent rights. These technologies are estimated to create an additional annual turnover of around Rs 100 crore in the food processing industry.

Complimenting the CFTRI’s role in building the country’s capacity in food sector by developing over 500 technologies over the years, R S Paroda, chairman, Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute said in Mysore on Monday the real challenge for CFTRI had begun now with new issues confronting the food sector.

Highlighting the various challenges like increasing population, global competition, falling agricultural exports, and increasing numbers of poor due to recession, he said, “We must have a national vision on food technology so that we can take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging before us, particularly against the background of globalisation. There is a need for integrating farmers, scientists, industry and policy makers to overcome the challenges and build up capacity in the food front.”

“Globalisation of agriculture demands more efficient and competitiveness in the global market. Otherwise, there will be pressure on us to reduce costs,” the leading food scientist said delivering the National Technology Day lecture.

Calling for an integrated approach to agricultural sustainability, CFTRI director V Prakash said it is time we define our own GDP clearly so that the technology required to sustain it and grow it can be reverse engineered to meet demand and targets. Here, he cited institutions like banks, World Bank or Asia Development Bank estimating different GDP figures for India. He also called for a clear mandate on public-private partnership for its effective role.

“There is a great opportunity for India in micro technologies which are science-based and operable at the village level. There is a need for high-tech as well. It is the balance between these technologies that will drive the Indian economy into a separate vision, with which we can plan ahead for a stable economic and self-sustaining economy,” Prakash said. He called on the new entrepreneurs, who received CFTRI insignia for taking up its technology, to “make the difference of adapting, accessing and affording the technology and take the product to the market.” Describing the new entrepreneurs’ initiative as a “significant intervention at a time when India and the world is in the midst of economic slowdown,” Scientist Darly Thomas said the CFTRI had built a portfolio of over 500 technologies, processes, machine designs and acquired over 1,200 patents over 59 years.

Technologies on convenience foods such as ready mixes for gulab jamun, dosa, idli, rasam, sambar, and tamarind rice, virgin coconut oil and juices from fruits and sugarcane were highly sought by the new entrepreneurs, she added.