Bhubaneswar, June 16: The state government today urged the Centre to sanction a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management for Odisha with chief minister Naveen Patnaik writing to the Union minister concerned to push the move.
In his letter to Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Naveen said there was an imminent need to set up such an institute "in view of the fast-growing agro-food processing sector".
Naveen argued that Odisha, which has 10 agro-climatic zones, has huge potential in the food-processing sector.
"The state is not only surplus in production of rice, but also has a substantial output of maize, horticulture produces, spices and sea food items," he said in his letter.
A food park is already operational in Khurda with popular food processing units such as Britannia, Indo-Nissin, ITC, Parle Agro and Coca-Cola India as stakeholders. Recently, the state set up its first Mega Food Park with an investment of Rs 80.17 crore. Badal herself inaugurated the food park in Rayagada on May 31.
The Mega Food Park is being developed on 50 acres in public private partnership mode with private promoters contributing 51 per cent equity and the state government contributing 18 per cent. LT Food Limited is the anchor investor in the park. Official sources said 22 applicants had evinced interest in setting up units at the food park, which has lots of potential considering its large hinterland (areas that supply raw materials to industries) that produces turmeric and horticultural products.
"The Mega Food Park at Rayagada is ready to commence its operations and the Sea Food Park at Deras near Bhubnaeswar is at an advanced stage of execution," Naveen said.
The Rayagada project has facilities such as fully operational industrial sheds for small and medium enterprises, developed industrial plots for lease to food processing units, a rice processing complex, cold storages and a multi-fruit processing facility.
The 152-acre Sea Food Park at Deras is being developed on 152 acres. Sources said the park has a lot of potential, as Odisha is a major producer of marine fish.
