The government is working on a national food grid to tame food inflation. The grid will connect deficient areas with producing regions as part of a plan to reduce wastage of fruits and vegetables while ensuring stable prices, food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said.Towards this, the government is developing a food map and a national cold chain grid.The plan is expected to be put up for PM Narendra Modi's approval before being formally announced.
Badal said online realtime data for availability of essential food stocks, perishable fruits & vegetables, poultry , fisheries and dairy livestock would be available on the food grid for faster decision making during times of any price spike. A study had estimated that food products worth nearly Rs.44,000 crore are wasted annually due to lack of adequate processing. Barring milk, just around 4% of overall produce is processed.
The government has identified development of food processing as a key focus area to keep inflation under check. Badal said her ministry has suggested that government offer benefits, such as interest subsidy to mega food parks. She, however, indicated that the concessions would be incentive-linked with a preference for those states that amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act (APMC).
States will be taken on board and agro-cooperatives will be encouraged to play a vital role to develop such parks.She said plans will also be developed to set up mega marine parks to tap into the potential for marine products.
Foreign firms would be welcome to set up such parks to bring better technology and management practices. The government will encourage state agro-cooperatives to engage in contract-farming to develop food clusters and help in creating infrastructure in critical areas.
To develop marketing and packaging standards, the ministry has also proposed setting up of a packaging and marketing board.
Badal said online realtime data for availability of essential food stocks, perishable fruits & vegetables, poultry , fisheries and dairy livestock would be available on the food grid for faster decision making during times of any price spike. A study had estimated that food products worth nearly Rs.44,000 crore are wasted annually due to lack of adequate processing. Barring milk, just around 4% of overall produce is processed.
The government has identified development of food processing as a key focus area to keep inflation under check. Badal said her ministry has suggested that government offer benefits, such as interest subsidy to mega food parks. She, however, indicated that the concessions would be incentive-linked with a preference for those states that amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act (APMC).
States will be taken on board and agro-cooperatives will be encouraged to play a vital role to develop such parks.She said plans will also be developed to set up mega marine parks to tap into the potential for marine products.
Foreign firms would be welcome to set up such parks to bring better technology and management practices. The government will encourage state agro-cooperatives to engage in contract-farming to develop food clusters and help in creating infrastructure in critical areas.
To develop marketing and packaging standards, the ministry has also proposed setting up of a packaging and marketing board.
No comments:
Post a Comment