Andra Pradesh Govt. focusses on food processing clusters

AP State Govt. is planning to establish food processing units across all the districts of the state. As stated by the CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the government is in a mood to spend about ₹10,000 crore on bolstering the infrastructure in the food processing segment and all other allied activities falling under the entire supply chain. He requested that a joint effort is needed to facilitate remunerative price to peasants.
At a review meeting with officials from agriculture, horticulture, marketing departments and offcials from AP Food Processing Society regarding the proposed food processing clusters on Monday, CM stated that officials should recognize the locales where the clusters should be ideally set up such their full potential can be realised and a rich variety of fruitful food crops can be grown in the State.
Extra focus should be laid on eliminating the hurdles faced by plantain, sugarcane, chilli, tomato, mango and turmeric growers and strategies should be framed to add value to those crops be explored.
A separate unit in the government should look after processing and packing aspects, Mr. Reddy informed, giving consent to the recommendation by officials that a mega food processing plant would uplift and augment the sector.
Officials suggested the Chief Minister that it would be great to have a food processing plant in each and every Parliamentary constituency, with which the latter agreed and demanded an action plan.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the establishment of Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) plays a vital role in planting high-quality crops, by providing the needed inputs to farmers. Millets have colossal scope for value addition, which should not be squandered, he further said.
CM also told the officials regarding the institution of Janata Bazars at all village secretariats. These bazars functioning as marketing centers for planters will mediate between the farmers and the consumers by offering the farm produce directly to the customers.