The Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal here today delivered a key-note address at the Interactive Roundtable meeting organized by CII. In her address, the Minister said that the Prime Minister’s one of the primary focus areas is “to use ‘agro technology’ to boost ‘agro based industries’. The Minister further added that she has asked the Ministry to prepare National Food Map that showcases all agriculture and livestock produce and food processing potential States and areas so that necessary steps could be taken by suitable interventions. She also said that as a Minister her focus is on:
· Installing Food Processing Growth Engines at village farm level so that agriculture gets a boost and wastage is reduced.
· Apart from our focus being on reducing our fruits and vegetable wastage and losses, we also need to optimize yield from per acreage of land by inducting better technology simultaneously to give double benefit to farmers.
· We wish to develop entire North East Region into Organic Food Processing Zones, and we seek to develop Special Food Processing Zones in the country.
· Special focus on small scale food processing units for women to make them financially self-reliant.
· To encourage special food processing units to impart skill development to augment skills and bring up a skilled workforce.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal also said that the Government shall do the needful to create food processing environment in the country and to build BRAND INDIA of food processing for exports and State specific brands for our domestic National markets.The Minister assured that she will take up the issues relating to Food Safety Standards Authority of India with the Health Minister and special attention shall be paid so that delay in product approvals and other regulatory environment does not derail the food processing in the country. She emphasized on adopting the best Model Food Processing Policy and ‘best practices’ to be followed as a policy of Food Processing Industry Ministry.
Badal also said that the general perception that processed food is for the elite and not for the common man needs to be shunned. The growth of food processing industry in the country is also linked to this perception which adversely affects the industry which works like discouragement to start processed food ventures. Talking about virtues of processed foods, she said, “the processed food shall prove to be far cheaper and safer than the fresh food and would lead to reduction of both poverty and inflation.” She also welcomed the industry to resolve all issues relating to the food processing industry.