MP's food park plan fails to take off

Rising prices of fruits and vegetables, bad weather conditions and soaring land prices have spiked Madhya Pradesh’s plan to have its own food parks.The Central government-sponsored food parks in the state have no takers.

The state government has decided to develop its own food parks in various areas through public-private partnership (PPP).

To promote the most ignored sector, the agro-based industries, two years ago, the state created a separate Horticulture and Food Processing department to develop new food parks.

According to some government sources, “High land prices, poor availability of raw material and now high food prices may water down the project.”

 

Six food parks were created at Nimrani (Khargone), Jaggakhedi (Mandsour), Babai-Piparia (Hoshangabad), Boregaon (Chhindwara), Maneri (Mandla), Malanpur (Bhind) through a Central government sponsored scheme, which has failed to attract considerable investment. The infrastructure at the parks like chilling plants and warehouse are of no use.

“State food parks were planned in each district but land areas for these have still not been identified,” a senior government official said, adding, “The investment which has come in existing food parks through the Central government is not sufficient. State government agencies like Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam and Madhya Pradesh Agro Industries Development Corporation will join hands to develop the new food parks.”