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Foreign cooperation in agri-trade suggested

Staff Correspondent

Bid to integrate agricultural development, food processing and export

SHIMLA: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called upon the Himachal Pradesh Government to encourage and promote foreign cooperation and technical collaboration at every level of the agri and food production chain and trade in the country.

To improve the current scenario for the Indian food processing industry and agri sector, PHDCCI has suggested to the Government to ensure that the proposed Food Standards and Safety Bill, presently before the State Cabinet, would integrate development of agriculture, food processing and export since these are inter-linked and part of the same chain, which starts with seed development in the field and ends at the consumer's table.

While suggesting means for the agrarian based economies like the hill State of Himachal, the Chamber's resident spokesman Yashwinder Dogra said that the newer technologies from the developed World can enable the Indian agriculture reduce post harvest losses that presently account for 25-40 per cent of the total food production amounting to Rs. 30,000 crores. To tap new markets and to increase country's share in the existing markets, action on a priority basis is required in areas like quality, variety, branding, packaging and pricing, he said.

Modified seeds, new and efficient modes of irrigation like drip farming along with better cold storage facilities are the focus areas to kickstart the growth and export potential of the sector, feels the PHDCCI. Revolutionising the agri-marketing infrastructure will not only reduce the percentage of losses and wastages but would also contribute in sustaining quality standards, said the Chamber spokesman.

India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables but the percentage of produce processed is only 7 percent compared to 83 percent food processed in Malaysia, 78 percent in Philippines and US and Brazil processing 70 percent of their total food productions. Business opportunities exist in many areas like processing, packaging and marketing of livestock, fisheries, meat, poultry, horticulture, floriculture and grain processing.

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Foreign cooperation in agri-trade suggested

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