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Report of the Working Group on Food Processing Sector
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Strategy
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While some of the schemes under Tenth Five Year Plan will continue during the Eleventh Five Year Plan, they need to be restructured with appropriate management/implementation arrangements in Public Private Partnership mode, with strong Project Implementation capabilities. Also it is proposed to decentralize the Scheme for Technology Upgradation and operate it through Nodal Banks in place of State Nodal Agencies to provide back-ended credit linked subsidy.
The new integrated approach not only addresses issue of financial assistance but also the following issues: |
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- Skill development,
- Entrepreneurship
- Investment
- Institutional Development
- Providing a policy environment, which stimulates growth
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| Core elements of the proposed strategy are |
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- Better project selection, development and implementation
- Decentralized cluster based development, particularly for creation of infrastructure and fostering linkages to retail outlets.
- Industry led capacity building and upgradation of standards
- An integrated food law and science based food standards.
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| Strategic intervention with redesigned schemes and strong implementation arrangements at the following points. |
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| Food Parks- carefully planned, cluster based, privately driven. |
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| Abattoirs- publicly owned and privately managed. |
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| Cold chains- integrated cold chain facilities and strategic distribution centres. |
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| Street Food- upgrading quality and hygiene in the cities/towns. |
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| Wine Policy- liberalized, leveraging the agri/horticultural surpluses. |
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| Testing & certification labs- both public and private |
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| Importantly, the Ministry has to be strengthened appropriately, to meet the challenges in implementing various new initiatives proposed for energizing the food-processing sector in the country. |
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| Priority Areas for Intervention |
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| The priority areas identified for intervention therefore are: |
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- Infrastructure development
- The food park scheme is proposed to be modified into a scheme for an Integrated Food Zone/Mega Food park
- Modernization of Abattoirs and setting up of National Meat Board
- Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation infrastructure (Cold storages, Reefer vans
- Irradiation Centres
- Research and development – Products, Technology, Quality and Skills
- Capacity Building – Human Resource Development, Research & Development, Quality, Safety, Related Infrastructure
- Implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- Establishment of NIFTEM
- Modernization of PPRC, Thanjayur into a National Crop Processing Center
- Upgrading safety and quality of street food and establishing food streets in identified
- Wine Sector Development- Establishment of Wine Board
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