A delegation of PepsiCo India called upon Assam industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The team informed the minister that PepsiCo India has submitted a proposal to set up a green field project for manufacturing Lays and Kurkure chips in Assam worth Rs 400 crores.
The team comprised Viraj Chouhan, chief government affairs and communication officer-India region; Rahul Sharma, public policy and government affairs officer and Nitin Jindal, associate director, business planning.
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They stated that the company would engage in contract farming (buy back policy) whereby it would provide seeds to the farmers and buy back the matured potatoes from them.
The company would also provide handholding support to the farmers.
Right now, PepsiCo India has been working with over 24,000 farmers in 13 states of India.
Patowary assured the team that the Government would provide full support and cooperation in successfully setting up the plant.
He also added that Industries and Commerce Department would take initiative with the state Agriculture Department so that PepsiCo can directly train the farmers.
The minister instructed the department officials to ensure faster clearances so that the project can be completed at the earliest.
Manjula Saikia Bhuyan, secretary of Industries and Commerce Department and other senior officials were present in the meeting.