Food Processing Hub thrust on North East

Shri Subodh Kant Sahai, Minister of Food Processing Industries said that the government was eyeing to promote North-East as a brand for the Food Processing Industry not only in the country but also in foreign markets geographically close to the North East Region. Shri Sahai was speaking in a press conference on his visit to North East Region recently.

The Minister said that the government is concentrating more on promoting the region as a hub of food processing industry. He informed that even during recession, the industry recorded a growth of 14.3 per cent whereas the other manufacturing industries saw only 7-8 per cent growth. The government is taking steps to provide an end-to-end solution to problems like financing, market linkages, brand promotion as well as technological support, the Minister said.

Shri Sahai also addressed a gathering of entrepreneurs of the food processing sector and others to invest in the sector as the potential in this sector is huge. The Minister also attended an “Investors’ Meet” at Agartala, Tripura. The region has plenty of agri-horti produce, most of which get wasted in the supply chain due to low level of processing and lack of adequate processing as well as logistic facilities. Shri Sahai hoped that this investor’s meet will attract sufficient investment in the Food Processing Sector in North-East Region.