Odisha to participate as partner state in 'Indus Food 2019'

Odisha will participate as a partner state in the upcoming mega international food and beverage show 'Indus Food 2019', according to state MSME Minister Prafulla Samal.

Presiding over the preparatory meeting held here Thursday, Samal said the event is a platform to promote India as a strong exporter of food and beverage products to the world.

The Indus Food meet is a mega international food exposition organized at India Exposition Mart, Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh on January 14 and 15. The event is organized jointly by Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) and Department of Commerce.

Samal added that in its second edition, the event would be hosting over 600 prominent global buyers in the Food & Beverage industry from over 60 countries.

"The main aim of this event is to have these buyers on board to increase their presence apart from sourcing new products from India, meet suppliers and develop new business relations with Indian exhibitors. It would be a great opportunity for the agri-exporters of Odisha to showcase our products to the prominent buyers of the world, Samal said.

Additional Chief Secretary, MSME, L N Gupta said that as a "partner state", Odisha will be setting up its own pavilion with 30 exhibitors showcasing various processed food items of Odisha like spices, cashew, confectionery items, processed agro food and others.

He said the Directorate of Horticulture and Agricultural Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (APICOL) along with local industry will showcase the processed agro food items as well as spices that are produced in the state.

Gupta said a seminar on "Potential and prospects of Food Processing Industry in Odisha" is also being organized during the inaugural ceremony on January 14.