Government to back mega food parks for a duration of two years

The Central government will support farmers and entrepreneurs who will invest in mega food parks in Punjab for two years from the time their projects are launched.

 

The farmers of Punjab must avail the maximum benefits from the Rs 6,000 crore allocated by the Prime Minister to boost the food processing industry, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, food processing industries, told a gathering of farmers at a function in Amritsar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the ministry.

 

The fund, to be used over the next three years, has been set up for mega parks, integrated cold chains and value addition infrastructure, creation and expansion of food processing and preservation capacities, infrastructure for agro processing clusters, creation of backward and forward linkages, food safety and quality assurance infrastructure and human resources and institutions.

 

The minister said the three mega food parks in Fazilka, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur are among the largest of the 42 food parks being set up in the country.

 

Under the cluster food processing scheme of the Kisan Sampada Yojana, the ministry will provide subsidy of up to Rs 10 crore for setting up five food processing units in mini food parks.

 

The government has also allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment in food processing and in trading, including through ecommerce, of food products manufactured or produced in India.