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M.P. to turn spotlight on food processing sector

Photo: A.M. Faruqui

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister S. S. Chauhan addressing a conference organised by PHD Chamber in Bhopal on Tuesday.

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said here on Tuesday that the State was ready to take a giant leap forward in the food processing sector.

The Chief Minister was speaking as the chief guest at a national workshop on “Post-harvest management and value addition” organised jointly by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the State Government. He said the Government had introduced an ambitious food processing policy and the objective was to ensure that farmers get remunerative price for their produce. It was his endeavour to ensure that Madhya Pradesh is known globally for the quality of it produces, said Mr. Chauhan.

“Madhya Pradesh is not only rich in forest or mineral wealth, even its land is very productive and the day is not far when the State would even surpass Punjab in terms of food production,” the Chief Minister emphasised. Ninety per cent of the State’s population is agro-based and the State cannot progress without making agriculture profitable, he said, adding that 10 lakh hectares of additional irrigation capacity has been built and the total irrigated area has increased from 35 per cent to 42 per cent during the last four years.

The Chief Minister said the Government was considering the option of creating a brand equity fund for the benefit of food processing units. Just like other industrial units, the Government was also considering the demand for uninterrupted power supply to food processing units. He invited the entrepreneurs, farmers and experts attending the conference to make their suggestions and assured them that the Government would try its best to implement them.

PHDCCI senior vice-president Satish Bagrodia said in his introductory speech that Madhya Pradesh had the potential to emerge as a food processing hub. Expressing similar views, the chairman of the Madhya Pradesh unit of PHDCCI, Salil Bhandari, said that a “new Madhya Pradesh would emerge once we forge a partnership between the industry and the agriculture sector”.

The workshop was conducted by the resident director of PHDCCI, Rajendra Kothari. A highlight of the proceedings was an announcement by industrialist Anil Mittal that Rs.1549-crore food processing unit would be set up in the State.

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