Union minister of state for food processing industries Rameswar Teli on Thursday said the Centre is committed to develop the untapped food processing sector in the Northeast.
Union minister Teli urged the entrepreneurs of the region to participate in the Central government’s process to develop the sector.
Teli made this appeal during a Food Tech Conclave under Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana.
The event, organized at Dibrugarh on Thursday, was aimed to develop the food processing sector in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district.
The conclave was organized by the Indian Chambers of Commerce in association with union ministry of food processing industries and Dibrugarh district administration.
Issues pertaining to the development of the food processing sector in the district, such as to create stakeholders’ interest, agri-potential available in the region, possibilities of agri-food business, new food processing technologies and manufacturing were discussed at the conclave.
The issues of packaging processes, quality assurance, and market linkages were also discussed in the conclave along with various MoFPI schemes.
Delivering his speech, union minister Teli said the Food Tech Conclave has been organized to provide a platform to food processing sector players to explore opportunities for farming, sourcing, processing, value addition, distribution and marketing in the sector in Dibrugarh district.
He also highlighted the steps initiated by the union food processing ministry to develop the sector in the northeastern region.
Speaking in the conclave, Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha stressed the need to utilize the potential available in and around Dibrugarh district for the development of food processing projects.
Representatives of NABARD, DICC, agriculture department, several banks, the tea industry, small tea growers and organic farmer groups also participated in the conclave.
The conclave was also attended by Northeast, Indian Chambers of Commerce co-chairman Prabhat K Bezbaruah, the deputy director of Indian Chambers of Commerce, Guwahati, Anuradha Goswami, and NABARD general manager Dr PK Maheswari.
The senior technical officer of CFTRI, Karnataka, Dr. Pattekhan HH; Professor and head, IIFPT, Dr. BK Yadav and senior scientist at IHBT, Palampur, Dr. Mahesh Gupta were also present.