Union Minister for Food Processing and Industry Harsimrat Kaur Badal today announced that her ministry would concentrate on creating primary collection centres close to the food production areas to bring in efficiency in food processing and reduce wastages.Speaking at the eighth global convention for food business and industry organised in collaboration with FICCI here, Mrs Badal said her ministry wanted to reduce wastages and losses in the supply chain and would follow a target approach to achieve this.The Union minister said according to conservative estimates 18 per cent of the total produce was wasted.
She said to achieve efficiencies her ministry would create an enabling environment including creating refrigeration facilities at all levels. "My ultimate aim is that processed products should not be limited to elite sections only but should be in the reach of the Aaam Aadmi also", she added.Mrs Badal also assured that efforts were on to reduce interest rates for small and medium food processing industries and that Rs 2,000 crore had been put aside for this purpose in the budget. Union Secretary Food Processing and Industry Siraj Hussain and FICCI representatives also spoke on the occasion and enlightened the industrialists and entrepreneurs about the initiatives of government for the promotion of food processing industry.