Soon, state govt to come up with policy on food processing

The Bengal government will soon come up with a food processing policy and a host of incentives for investors, said Nandini Chakravorty, secretary, Food Processing and Horticulture, Bengal.

She was speaking to CII Eastern Region Agriculture & Food Processing Taskforce members comprising CEOs of food processing industries, feed and fertilizer industries, cold storages, heads of banks and heads of Export Promotion Councils such as MPEDA and SHEFEXIL on Thursday.

Prominent among the industry members was B Sumant, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Agriculture & Food Processing Taskforce & President – FMCG Business, ITC Ltd.

The state government is providing subsidy for setting up packhouses and cold storage modification, she said, adding that the West Bengal government is committed to help small companies, especially those facing problems over land and litigation.

The state government is also focusing on providing better safety of products by setting up of irradiation facility at Chinsurah, she said, adding that fruits and vegetables grown in West Bengal have the potential to hit markets in the US and Europe. A consignment of mangoes has recently been sent to European Union, she said.

Chakravorty also said the state government is preparing a study on agri-horti-logistics infrastructure. The idea is to identify and narrow certain gaps which hinder the growth of this sector, Chakravorty explained.

According to her, grapes processing can turn out to be a major opportunity for investors in West Bengal.

"Already, grapes are being grown in Bankura and Purulia, and the quality is better than those grown in Nasik. The government is trying to put in place backward linkage to ensure quality," Chakravorty told the industry members.