Odisha seeks National Institute of Food Processing

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday requested the central government to sanction a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTUM) in the state.

In view of the fast growing agro-food processing sector, there is an imminent need for setting up a National Institute of Food Processing in the state, said Patnaik in a letter to Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

He said that the state with 10 agro-climatic zones has a huge potential for the food processing sector.

Patnaik said the state is not only surplus in production of rice, but also has a substantial output of maize, horticulture produce, spices like ginger and turmeric besides seafood items.

He said one food park in Khordha is already operational with certain popular food processing units like Britannia, Indo-Nissin, ITC Ltd, Parle Agro and Coca Cola India.

Besides, the MITS Mega Food Park in Rayagada is ready to commence its operations and the Sea Food Park in Deras near Bhubaneswar is at an advanced stage of execution, informed Patnaik.

He said Eastern Nutriments Ltd is also in the process of development of another food park in Ramdaspur near Cuttack.

--IANS

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