In a parallel session at the Yuva Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelan at Indore’s Brilliant Convention Center on Sunday, a discussion was held about the food basket of Madhya Pradesh.
In the session, detailed information was given about suitable environment and resources available for food processing. While presiding over the session,
Minister of State for Horticulture and Food Processing Bharat Singh Kushwaha called upon the NRIs to come forward and set-up processing plants for surplus horticulture crops available in the state and enrich the state.
He said that the state government will formulate investment policy on the suggestion of NRIs and will provide all kind of assistance in investment. Minister Kushwaha expressed hope that NRIs would become allies in the state’s prosperity by using the state’s horticulture resources.
In this session, the state’s advanced horticulture farmers and businessmen shared their success stories with the overseas Indians.
Among them Jitendra Patidar of Ambi Wines Ratlam, Devendra Khandelwal of Shreedhi Milk Company, orange exporter Sajid Mansoor Ansari, Chartered Accountant P.K. and Subhash Kabra of Jain and Frozen Foods were involved.
Additional Chief Secretary of Horticulture and Food Processing Department J. N. Consotia apprised about the state’s horticulture crops and available resources.
He informed that Madhya Pradesh ranks third in wheat production, second in rice and third in milk production in the country. Madhya Pradesh produces maximum garlic and onion in the country. Not only this, the state ranks third in oil seed production as well. There are 8 food parks in Madhya Pradesh and a road network of 2 lakh 88 thousand kilometers. Here orange is cultivated in 1 lakh 34 thousand hectare and 23 lakh 52 thousand metric tonnes of orange is produced every year.
Kansotia informed that irrigation is conducted in 45 lakh hectare area in the state, which is being increased to 65 lakh hectare. ITC, Parle, Dabur, Balaji, Top and Town, LT Foods, PepsiCo companies’ plants are functioning in the state.
At the end of the question-answer session, NRIs from Japan, Mauritius, Australia showed interest in setting-up pre-processing units of Grape Wine, Garlic and Onion.
Agriculture Department’s Additional Chief Secretary Farmers-Welfare and Agriculture Development A.K. Varnwal conducted the proceedings. Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry Gulshan Bamra was present.
