Four mega food parks to become operational this year: Badal

Four mega food parks will become operational this year with a minimum estimated investment of Rs 600 crore, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said today.
"The previous government could operationalise only six parks in their 10 years, while this government had inaugurated three food parks in its very first year and this year, another four parks will become operational," Badal told reporters on the sidelines of an Assocham event.
The Centre is aiming to make 42 mega food parks operational by end of 2019, which will yield a potential investment of about Rs 14,000 crore and would benefit about 12.5 lakh farmers.

These parks are expected to generate about 3-4 lakh direct and indirect jobs.
Badal added that in each mega food park, 40-50 food processing units can be established.
She further said food processing can significantly reduce wastage, generate employment, offer better prices to farmers and help in reducing food inflation.

Pointing out that wastage at the harvest and transportation level is huge, the minister said India is one of the largest producers of food globally, but only 10 per cent of the food is processed.
"Therefore, the ministry is laying special emphasis on promoting value-addition at the farm-gate level and is working towards helping youths turn entrepreneurs," Badal said.

Under the mega food parks scheme (2008-09), the Food Processing Ministry had sanctioned 42 projects throughout the country. Of these, 25 parks have already been allocated.
The scheme, based on cluster approach, is modelled on hub and spoke architecture. It aims at facilitating the establishment of a strong food processing industry backed by an efficient supply chain, which includes collection centres, central processing centre (CPC) and cold chain infrastructure.
The scheme envisages one time capital grant of 50 per cent of the project cost (excluding land cost) subject to a maximum of Rs 50 crore in general areas, and 75 per cent of the project cost (excluding land cost) subject to a ceiling of Rs 50 crore in difficult and hilly areas, including the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir.