WB govt providing subsidy for building packhouses

West Bengal government is providing subsidy for building packhouses and cold storage modification and will soon announce a food processing policy and incentives for investors, a senior food department official said today.
"The state government is providing subsidy for setting up packhouses and cold storage modification," Food Processing and Horticulture secretary Nandini Chakravorty said.
The government would soon announce a food processing policy and a host of incentives for investors, she said while addressing a CII programme on agriculture and food processing.
Fruits and vegetables grown in West Bengal have the potential to hit markets in the US and Europe. A consignment of mangoes has recently been sent to European Union, she said.

Chakravorty also said that the state government is preparing a study on agri-horti-logistics infrastructure to identify and narrow the gaps hindering growth of this sector.
Grapes processing can turn out to be a major opportunity for investors in West Bengal, she said adding that grapes are being grown in Bankura and Purulia, and the quality is better than those grown in Nasik.
Chakravorty said that the state government is committed to helping small companies, especially those facing problems over land and litigation.
"We are focused on providing better safety of products by setting up a irradiation facility at Chinsurah," she said.