Rs 50cr central aid for mega food park

The Centre would sanction Rs 50 crore to set up a mega food park in Kerala, said minister of state for food processing industry Subodh Kant Sahay here on Thursday.

Addressing a joint press meet, after an interactive session with the stakeholders of the food processing industry, Sahay said the Centre was willing to extend assistance to the state to set up research and development centres and a quality assessment laboratory relating to food processing in Kerala.

Pointing out that the food processing industry's performance in the state was well ahead of the national average, Karim said about 300 acres had been identified at Kalpetta in Wyanad district for the proposed mega food park.

"At the national level, a food quality standard organisation will be set up in the near future and the Centre envisages an investment of Rs 1 lakh-crore in the food processing industry by 2015," Sahay said.