Boost to food processing

Fiscal constraints should not impede the new scheme

The government’s ambitious, new scheme to promote micro enterprises to process perishable farm produce into value-added products right in their production hubs is a well-advised initiative that can serve multiple purposes. By prolonging the usable life of the spoilage-prone foods, these small agro-processors can make seasonal farm produce available round the year, reduce their price volatility, cut down post-harvest wastage, and generate additional employment and income in rural areas. Though the government has allocated Rs 10,000 crore for this scheme as part of the Rs 20-trillion post-Covid economic package, it is expected to garner an investment of Rs 35,000 crore