Government asks cola majors to consider fruit juice spike

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said that as a way to help the country's fruit farmers, he is in talks with major aerated drinks makers to add five percent of fruit juice to their products.

"If this is done the income of the fruit farmers shall increase which in turn will help in their overall development," Modi said while inaugurating the India Food Park, the country's first, in Tumkur.

"There are people in huge numbers that consume aerated drinks such as Cola, Pepsi and so on. These companies do business in crores," he added.

Fifty food processing units have been established in the Park, which has been jointly developed by the union food ministry, the Karnataka government and the Future Group, which has invested about Rs.250 crore in the project.

Reaffirming his total committment to India's federal structure, the prime minister said if India is to progress, the centre and the states have to work together as a team.

"This project is a combination of central, state and private sector partnership. The government will boost infrastructure required for the agriculture and food processing sectors through public-private partnerships," Modi said.

He described the project as something that will fulfil the vision of "annam Brahma" - food is God.