Bhopal: CM lays foundation stone of 3 food processing incubation centers

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed bhoomi pujan of three incubation centres worth Rs†9.87 in Sehore, Morena and Gwalior virtually under Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme on Sunday.

A subsidy of up to Rs 10 lakh will be given to the farmers under the scheme and 40% of the grant will be borne by state government, he said addressing the farmers and officials of agricultural colleges.

Apart from Rs 10 lakh subsidy, the state government will provide subsidy up to Rs 2.5 crore for setting up large units in order to expand food processing industry, said Chouhan.

He said, ìMadhya Pradesh is number one in the production of orange, coriander and garlic and ranks second in producing ginger, chilly, guava, peas and onions. Food processing units will not only provide employment to youths but also unadulterated products to people and right price to farmers.î

The foundation stones were laid at the incubation centres of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University in Gwalior, Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Morena and Agriculture College in Sehore.

The incubation centre in Sehore will aid in fruit and vegetable processing. Juice, pulp, jam, jelly, vegetable dehydration line and onion processing line will be established at the centre along with food processing laboratory.

Common incubation facility will be made available in Morena for processing mustard and other oilseeds, millet, sorghum, ragi and bakery products. Potato and potato processing line and millet based cookies line are being established in Gwalior.

Union minister of agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar, MP minister of agriculture Kamal Patel and minister of state for horticulture Bharat Singh Kushwaha also participated virtually in the event. Tomar congratulated Chouhan for making Madhya Pradesh a leading state in agriculture production.

Rural farmers need training, modern tech: CM

Chouhan stressed on the need to hold workshops in the state to train the farmers in food processing. Farmers will be trained about quality improvement, packaging, marketing, branding of their produce and their processes at workshops, he added.

Chouhan said, About 25 lakh units are functioning in unorganised food processing sector in the country. About 66 per cent of these units are in rural areas and about 80 per cent of enterprises are family-based. Hence, we need modern technology, equipment and training at village level to develop them as brands.