With a bigger objective of taking local food products with specific brands to the global market, the Odisha Government is giving a major boost to large number of micro unorganised food processing units within the state for development under the PMFME (PM Formalization for Micro Food Processing Enterprises) scheme.
Addressing a webinar ‘Investment Opportunities in Food Processing Sector in Odisha’ jointly organised by the Government of Odisha and FICCI on 29th January, Satyabrata Sahu, Principal Secretary of MSME Department, Government of Odisha said, “Under the PMFME‘s ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) scheme, the state government has identified 30 different products for 30 districts. Each of the district has its unique advantage and each would have its food-based product clusters for promotion of the local food processing industries operating in the organised sector.”
“In the ‘60:40’ funding pattern prescribed under the Central scheme, 60 percent amount would be borne by the Union Government and rest 40 percent would be funded by the state government,” informed Sahu and added that finance would never be a problem for promotion of the local food processing industries in the state.
He also added that various food products from different districts of the state can now be promoted in global markets with specific branding. “The promotion of micro food processing units run by women SHGs (self-help-groups) are mostly targeted through the initiative by the state government under PMFME scheme.”
“Recently, Odisha has been awarded for good fishery producing practices and the state government has earmarked about 6 lakh hectares of land for brackish water shrimp cultivation which would further escalate sea food processing and export in the state,” shared Sahu.
Speaking about the tremendous investment opportunity Odisha offers in the food processing sector, Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Odisha said, “Odisha today is the most advantageous state so far as ‘Ease of Doing Business’ is concerned. The state has established a regulatory business environment to extend all support and facilitation to the upcoming industries.”
“The four key pillars of food processing industry requirement namely, ready-to-move infrastructure, a consistent industrial policy framework, political and financial stability and effective industrial facilitation mechanism, have been very well taken care of in the state,” said Sharma. He added that for the best management of single-window system under industry facilitation programme, the industry promotion wing of the state government, IPICOL has been rated with highest rank by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India.
Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, OSD, Industries Department, Government of Odisha pointed out, Odisha has been a pioneer in attracting investment in various sectors of industries. The food processing sector having huge potential of growth and employment generating capacity, has been included in the six focus sectors of the Odisha government wherein, upcoming industries are allowed various incentives and subsidies for setting up their business units within the state.
“The state has already set up two food parks and some more are in the pipeline, which would provide suitable business environment for the food processing industries,” Mishra said.
Dr Nitin B Jawale, Managing Director, Industrial Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) said, “Over the last two decades, the food processing sector in Odisha has gone for a massive change and this can be termed as a ‘Green Revolution’ in the state. “The 10 agro-climatic zones, vast coastline, four operational ports with good rail and road connectivity along with an industry-friendly policy framework of the state government, offers ample growth opportunities for upcoming industries in the sector”, he said.
In his presentation, Md Sadique Alam, Director of Industries, MSME Department informed that Odisha produces about 8.5 million tonnes of cereals and pulses, 0.97 million tonnes of fruits and 6.62 million tonnes of vegetables.
Further Alam told that besides, proximity of the state to major South-East Asian Markets such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, among others makes a favoured destination for investors in the food processing sector.
Mohit Anand, Co-Chair, FICCI Food Processing Committee & MD, Kellogg India, elucidated on how the sector provides vital linkages between the two pillars of economy viz agriculture and industry. He added that the country had achieved tremendous growth in the food processing sector in last few years and had become one of the largest in terms of production and it is important that Odisha should follow the bandwagon and come up with suitable policies to facilitate investment in the food processing sector.
The interactive webinar was attended by industry leaders including Acharya Balkrishna, MD, Patanjali Ayurveda; K Bhasker Reddy, MD of Creamline Dairy Products; Alex Ninan, MD, Baby Marine Group and Subodh Jindal, President, All India Food Processors’ Association.
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