Better environment for setting up food processing units in Madhya Pradesh: Minister Shri Kushwaha

Bhopal: Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Shri Narayan Singh Kushwaha attended the Agrovision National Agriculture Fair in Nagpur on Saturday. He said that Madhya Pradesh is the country’s leading state in the production of horticultural crops. Madhya Pradesh has a better environment for setting up food processing units. He said that the state government along with the Centre provides special grants to units working in the field of food processing.

Minister Mr. Kushwaha met Union Road Transport and National Highways Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari at the Krishi Mela and said that the fair was organised in the interest of farmers. He said that in the Agrovision Mela, along with the display of startups and new technologies, advanced food and seeds, agricultural equipment, farmers and entrepreneurs are being informed about the government’s schemes for setting up new units. So that they can avail the benefits of the schemes. Minister Mr. Kushwaha said that such fairs should be organised in other states of the country as well.

Minister Shri Kushwaha discussed with the representatives of various units participating in the National Agriculture Fair and invited them to visit Madhya Pradesh. Shri Kushwaha said that there are abundant possibilities in the field of horticulture in Madhya Pradesh. In the year 2023-24, horticultural crops were sown in more than 4.30 lakh hectares of area, in which more than 96 lakh 11 thousand metric tonnes of horticultural crops have been produced, which is a record. He informed that Madhya Pradesh ranks first in the production of orange, tomato, coriander, garlic and spice crops in the country. The state government is encouraging units working in the field of food processing, remarkable progress has been registered in Madhya Pradesh in 5 years under the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme, due to which the duration of this scheme in the state has been extended by one more year by the Government of India, now this scheme will be effective in the state till March 2025. Under the scheme, private units working in the field of food processing are given a subsidy of 35% or maximum Rs 10 lakh.

On this occasion, Principal Secretary Horticulture and Food Processing Mr. Anupam Rajan, Commissioner Handloom and Managing Director Sant Ravidas Handicraft Development Corporation Mr. Madan Kumar along with departmental officers were also present.