Sell processed food a treasonable price: Patil

by Punjabnewswiire4u

CHANDIGARH JUNE 24

 Speaking on Inaugural session of ASSOCHAM National Conference on linking Growth Drivers of Food Processing Industries, the Punjab Governor and Administrator UT Chandigarh Mr. Shivraj V. Patil said that Food Processing Industry has the potential and will lead to an increase in the farm gate prices which, in turn, shall lead to enhance rural incomes, lesser wages and high value additions. He said in India we have associations like ASSOCHAM, FICCI and CII which helps in bringing entrepreneur together to see that policies which are conducive for the development of industry, agriculture and other activities and also trying to see as to how produce can be sold in the market and be exported.

       Mr. Patil said that he was told that person interested in this kind of activities have come in this Conference from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. He said Punjab and Haryana are two states which have been doing very well in agriculture sector while Himachal Pradesh is the State which is producing fruits on a very very large scale. He said the question was as to how what is produced can be made available to the consumers at affordable and reasonable prize. He said one of the speaker said that 30% of the fruit produced in the country gets wasted. He said this has to be checked. He said unless we were able to stop the wastage we cannot achieve the desired results. He said that only thing which can help in this area is food processing, which can help in protecting what is produced.

       The Governor said that there is unlimited scope in this area and there is no dearth of raw material which is needed for the food processing industry and consumers were also easily available. He said Government of India and State Governments should make policies and laws to strengthen food processing industry. He said that they were doing well but much more was required to be done. He said there is no dearth of funds for establishing food processing units. Money is available but it was not fully disbursed by the banks in the rural areas. He said these funds are transferred to NABARD to disburse for its full utilization.  He said only private sector can help in strengthening and promoting food processing industry. He said private sector should develop their own research and development wings.

       Appreciating the role of ASSOCHAM, Mr. Patil said that the ASSOCHAM has always been disseminating vital information and taking the cause of the members of trade and industry easy the conference would prove fruitful if this purpose is achieved.

The Governor said need of the hour is to find out the ways to check the problems being faced by food processing sector and to understand emerging demand trends in the food market. He said that he was hopeful that the deliberations in the conference would focus on mechanisms to promote and establish knowledge- based and technology driven enterprises, by harnessing the collaborative synergies of all the stakeholders and Northern states specially Punjab and Haryana will emerge as a preferable destination for the food.

On the occasion Mr. Patil also released a book “Study on Value Addition in Agricultural Products in India”.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Mr. Ashok Khanna, Managing Director Khanna Watches, Mr. M.P. Singh, Principal Secretary to Governor, Mr. D.S. Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM, Mr. S.S. Marwaha, Chief Executive Officers, Punjab Biotechnology Incubator and Dr. Rakesh Tuli.