Jamshedpur, May 22: A food processing unit is coming up at the Adityapur industrial zone in Seraikela-Kharswan district.

Ekta Food and Beverages Limited, a private firm, has recently acquired a land measuring 10,000 sq ft from Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (AIADA) for setting up the unit.

It will manufacture a host of products including apple chips, chilled carbonated coffee and mixed fruit juice. The unit is expected to start functioning from September this year. It will be set up with an initial investment of about Rs 1.5 crore.

Probably, the first such food processing unit in the eastern India, Ekta Food and Beverages Limited has collaborated with a Brazilian company and Mysore-based Central Food and Technology Research Institute (CFTRI), a pioneer of developing food processing technology.

CFTRI, which functions under the Union ministry of food processing, would help the firm in technology transfer on food processing.

?We have initiated the process of procuring hi-tech automated peeling and slicing machines from Japan. The machines are expected to reach next month. Much emphasis would be given for exporting the products to African and gulf countries, where these products enjoy a good demand,? said Niraj Kumar Mishra, owner of Ekta Food and Beverages Limited.

CFTRI is also helping in selection of machinery items required for setting up the unit.

The firm has entered into an agreement with the Farmers? Co-operative Society in Una district of Himachal Pradesh for procuring quality apples, which will be supplied through railways. The food processing unit has fixed a target of producing 5,000 packets of apple chips daily for which it will require 100 kg apples.

The chilled carbonated coffee, mixed fruit and pulp juice will be available in poly-packs of 500 ml and 250 ml. The mixed fruit juice will contain apple, guava, grapes and papaya.

?Much care will be taken to ensure that the fruits do not loose its caloric value at the time of processing. We are seeking an expertise in this regard from a Brazilian company,? said Mishra.

Besides Jharkhand, the firm has identified markets in West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar from where it will procure guava, grapes and papaya for manufacturing the mixed fruit juice.

According to Mishra, the firm has got the necessary nod from the Export Promotion Council for exporting its products. More than 60 per cent of the products manufactured at the food processing unit would be exported principally to the gulf countries. He informed that an area covering 3,000 sq ft has been earmarked for installation of a multi-storied cold storage.

Sources in AIADA informed that though efforts were made in the past to set up a food processing zone within Adityapur industrial area but the plan flopped due to the apathetic attitude of the state government in funding the project. AIADA officials were optimistic that the new food processing unit would do well in this region and contribute in the development of the state.

Officials of Ekta Food and Beverages Limited informed that they are also planning to set up a similar unit in Kalyani industrial zone in West Bengal.