DIMAPUR, AUGUST 12 (MExN): Nagaland Governor, PB Acharya today said that Nagaland state possesses immense opportunities in food processing.
“There is a significant business opportunity in processing of fresh fruits, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and herbs,” the Governor stated in his address during the inauguration of the conference on ‘Linking Prospective Food Entrepreneurs with Government Schemes & markets’ held in Medziphema today. The conference was organised by ASSOCHAM and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
The Governor stated that the state is endowed with various sorts of fruits, vegetables, and other agro-products, and “has the potential to be a sunrise zone for food processing and other agri-businesses.”
He stated said facilities need to be created for primary processing and secondary processing in the region by infusion of proper technology. “Proper marketing linkages between farmers and manufacturers have to be established, so also technological support. Agro-based economy has failed to flourish as it should due to limited utilization of technological and innovation,” he added.
The Governor said it is necessary to diagnose the problems in this region for providing an improved production and marketing environment and value- added economic benefits to the farmers through appropriate science and technological policies for various post-harvest functions in food processing industries.
He further said that there is a need on proper mechanisms to promote and establish knowledge-based and technology-driven enterprises, by harnessing the collaborative synergies of all the stakeholders
Dr. OM S Tyagi, Senior Director, ASSOCHAM, in his welcome address outlined the need for organizing this conference. He said that that the Government of India has also been supporting budding entrepreneur through several incentives and schemes for the development of food processing Industry in various parts of the country especially in North east region.
Dr. R. K. Singh, Programme Coordinator, KV K Phek, Nagaland, said that there is a huge scope and opportunity for food processing industries in the country and epically in north east region. MoFPI has been implementing central sector schemes in the country including North-East for providing modern infrastructure for food processing industries and also for development of Food processing sector in the state.
HC Biswas , Assistant General Manager, NABARD Nagaland Regional Office said that the weather and availability of water in the region are conducive for food cultivation and is especially suitable for growing horticultural. There is also a need for partnerships for training and competence building, marketing, processing, projects and infrastructure development to accelerate growth and development of Food processing Sector in this region, leading to more jobs, incomes and opportunities for the people of this region, he added.
Prof. B.K. Konwar, Vice Chancellor, NAGALAND University stated that food processing industry especially agro-horticultural based has been identified as a thrust area of development. Bamboo, Fruits and vegetables, like banana, pineapple, orange, papaya, lemon, potato, sweet potato, tapioca chillies, turmeric, onion, ginger, bamboo shoot and jack fruit, have good marketing scope in this region if properly harvested, processed and packaged, he added. However he lamented that due to lack of transportation in sufficient well-equipped cold storage facilities and processing of farm produce, the surplus produce often spoils and wasted, and therefore there is a need to look at those issues.
