Food processing sector likelyto generate 50,000 jobs: CS

Food processing sector likelyto generate 50,000 jobs: CS
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Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar said that the state government sanctioned 200 projects in food processing sector with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore, which could provide employment to 50,000 unemployed youth.

Vijayawada: Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar said that the state government sanctioned 200 projects in food processing sector with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore, which could provide employment to 50,000 unemployed youth.

Addressing at two-day conclave of food processing industry, jointly organised by the Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society at a private function hall here on Thursday, Dinesh Kumar said the government had drafted five-year comprehensive food processing policy, which includes many schemes, for the benefit of the sector.

The county losing one lakh crore rupees worth of food products as waste due to lack of post-harvesting mechanism, he said and added nearly one-third of population in the country were undernourished due to lack of access to healthy diet. The chief secretary also said the government was taking steps to construct chain of cold storages to ensure agriculture products are not wasted.

The food processing industry has assumed significance in the county with value of 135 billion dollars, he said and added there is a lot of scope to improve the sector. The state has registered 27 per cent growth rate in farm sector which is more than the country’s average, he stated.

He said that the government has signed 351 MoUs with an investment of Rs 10,551 crore. “There is a huge potential in agriculture, horticulture and aqua culture. The state is also forefront in production of eggs, papaya, mango, tomato, turmeric, maize, cashew, groundnut, cucumber, meat and paddy. The industrialists should come forward to setup industries availing the government incentives and schemes,” he said.

Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Chairman Bhaskar Reddy called upon the industrialists belong to Andhra Pradesh to set up units in the state using opportunities in food processing industry. The distress in farm sector could be avoided by strengthening the food process industry in the state, he added.

AP government food processing department secretary Girija Shankar, Chamber president Gowra Srinivas, general secretary T S Appa Rao and customs commissioner K Sudha were present.

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