Yogi govt to bring new policy for food processing sector
Buoyed at the initial response of investors who have invested over Rs 12,970 crore in the food processing sector, the Yogi Adityanath government is contemplating to bring a new policy for this sector which experts say could help farmers in doubling their incomes and also generate employment at the village level.
A government spokesman said that the new policy will benefit all — micro to large — industries.
He said under the new policy, big industries would get a subsidy up to Rs 100 crore. The draft of the policy is ready and the government will take a decision on it soon, he added.
According to Dr RK Tomar, Director at the Department of Horticulture and Food Processing, UP has an immense potential. The state is the largest producer of sugarcane in the country and second largest producer of vegetables. It is the largest producer of gourd, peas, potatoes, watermelons and pumpkins in India. The state is also the third largest producer of sweet potato. Uttar Pradesh is also the largest milk producing state in the country, accounting for about 17.6 per cent (23.3 million tons) of the total milk produced in the country.
“UP’s numero uno position in farm production has helped in prompting private players to invest in food processing units. Availing the government relaxations, the capital investment of about Rs 12,970.56 crore has been made in this area,” he said.
Dr Tomar said in the UP Investors’ Summit held in February 2018, proposals for Rs 15,182.54 crore were received from the private sector in the food processing sector and out of these, memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 8,095 crores had been realised.
He said the Food Processing Department had received proposals for 76 fruits and vegetables units, 336 of flour mills, 23 of oilseeds processing units, 13 of pulses processing, 205 of consumer products, three of herbal products, three meat processing, and 11 other proposals.
“Besides, 45 private sector projects have been approved by the Government of India under the Prime Minister Kisan Sampada Yojana, in which investment of Rs 1,064 crore is being made. Similarly, investment of about Rs 152.44 crore has been made in establishment of 105 cold storages, 24 ripping chambers, 434 packaging houses, 144 onion warehouses and 124 preservation units,” he said.
To promote the food processing industry in the state, units are being set up as per area-wise agricultural production. Milk products in Aligarh, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Kanpur Dehat, Jaunpur and Mathura, ghee in Auraiya and Kasganj, green chillies in Varanasi and Deoria, mangoes in Amroha, Lucknow and Sitapur, and kalanamak rice in Basti, Gorakhpur and Siddharthnagar.
Similarly, as maize cultivation is highest in western and central UP, the government is focused on setting up maize-based food processing units there.
“The framing of new food processing policy will accelerate the establishment of such units,” Tomar said.
