The Hindu : Front Page : India International Trade Fair begins with focus on food processing

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Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
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India International Trade Fair begins with focus on food processing

Staff Reporter

Healthy, ready-to-eat meals for children should be prepared, says President

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Going great guns: Defence Minister A. K. Antony inaugurating the defence pavilion, ‘Defenders of the Dawn … An Eastern Odyssey,’ at the IITF-2007 in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: India is one of the largest food producers in the world and yet it is processing only two per cent of the total production, President Pratibha Patil said on Wednesday.

The food processing industry should be encouraged to set up small and medium scale units closer to agricultural production centres, she said inaugurating the 27th edition of the India International Trade Fair-2007 at the Pragati Maidan here.

The President said the IITF’s theme “Processed Food and Agro Industries” was of special relevance globally. “We are grappling with the formidable task of eradicating hunger and poverty from our planet.” Efforts towards sustainable agriculture could be augmented with advances in research in agricultural technology and biotechnology and by extending the findings to the field.

Pioneering role

Stressing the need to make policies that are flexible and conducive to gender considerations in agricultural research and education, Ms. Patil said 60 per cent of farm labour across the country comprised women, and their pioneering role in preservation of topsoil and forests was well recognised.

“Therefore, we need to catalyse agricultural growth through holistic agricultural development strategies that should include women. Using processed food for the government’s mid-day meal for children was a possibility. Agricultural produce specific to the area could be utilised, its food value enhanced by adding nutrients and women could be encouraged to prepare healthy, hygienic and ready-to-eat meals for children.” Noting that the IITF was the largest exposition of its kind in Asia, the President expressed satisfaction that members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation were participating as “partner countries.” “The promotion of intra-regional trade and investment will contribute significantly to the economic and social development of the SAARC region as a whole,” she said.

Earlier, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said: “This trade fair has been associated in the minds of people with the journey of progress” of India from the days the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru “through the determination of Indira Gandhi and the youthful leadership of Rajiv Gandhi.”

Focus State

As Meghalaya is the “Focus State” this year, its Chief Minister D.D. Lapang addressed the gathering. “We will exploit the potential of Meghalaya in the development of tourism, horticulture, food processing, medium and large scale industries, IT and power generation.”

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