Tirupati: A state-of-the-art Common Incubation Centre (CIC) for food processing, established at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Tirupati at a cost of Rs 3 crore, is set to be inaugurated on July 13. The facility will be formally launched by Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan, alongside Andhra Pradesh Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Food Processing, TG Bharath.

The incubation centre has been developed under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, as part of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme. It is one of 76 such centres being established across the country with a total outlay of Rs 205.95 crore.

The centre at IIT Tirupati is focused on the processing of fruits and vegetables, and was developed under the coordination of Prof KSMS Raghava Rao, Professor of Chemical Engineering, with strategic guidance from IIT Tirupati Director Prof KN Satyanarayana. With the proactive efforts of faculty and technical staff, the facility has now been fully procured, commissioned, and made operational.

Currently, this is the only facility of its kind in Andhra Pradesh. It aims to support agricultural entrepreneurs in transforming perishable produce such as tomatoes, mangoes, and citrus fruits into value-added products like pulp, jams, and pickles. The first operator at the centre will be entrepreneur Rajendranath Reddy.

While small-scale production has already begun, the facility is also envisioned as a research hub. It provides hands-on opportunities for students pursuing MS and PhD programmes in food technology at IIT Tirupati’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

The centre is equipped to process up to 20 tonnes of fruits per day, including mango, anjeer (fig), guava, and more. Its processed outputs – juices, pulp, and preserves, will be marketed under IIT Tirupati’s in-house brand, ‘Swastha’.

Looking ahead, the institute plans to collaborate with private companies through formal agreements to ensure higher value realisation for farmers. Entrepreneurs with their own food brands will also be encouraged and supported in utilising the facility.