With the inauguration of this food processing unit, 5,000 farmers will be benefitted and it is expected to leverage an investment of Rs 50.33 crore, said Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries. Inaugurating the food processing unit located at Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh through video conference, Badal said, the food processing sector is witnessing robust growth and has been identified as a champion sector by the Government of India. She added that the diverse basket of agricultural raw material base and agro-climatic attributes of Uttar Pradesh provides the requisite platform for the state to develop a vibrant food processing industry.
The unit namely Organic India is likely to generate direct employment of 100 and indirect employment of 250 persons. Organic India is set up with total cost of Rs. 55.13 crore. Grant in aid of Rs 4.80 crore has been provided by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). A processing capacity of 3 MT per day has been created and the unit will process agro produce worth Rs 350 crore. Products manufactured in this unit are Tulsi green tea, sweet lemon green tea, lemon ginger green tea, pomegranate green tea, sweet rose, Tulsi masala among others. It is spread over an area of 12,903 sq.m / 3.18 acres in Agro Park Phase-II, UPSIDC Industrial Area, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh.
Highlighting the food processing potential in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister said that the diverse basket of agricultural raw material base and agro-climatic attributes of UP provide the requisite platform for the state to develop a vibrant food processing industry. She added that the food processing sector can become important link between two main sectors of the state economy, agriculture and industry. She further said that this sector can address the major challenges in agriculture such as post-harvest losses, lack of marketing options and low income of farmers along with providing employment opportunities to rural population.
