Centre to amend APMC Act shortly: Minister

Mysore, May 28 (UNI) The Centre will soon amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahai said today.

Talking to newspersons here, he said it would be taken up in Parliament in July. The amendment would pave way for reducing the gap between the farmers and the industry, removing middle men in the process, and the agricultural and horticultural produce would directly reach the industries.

Informing that the Government would reinvest Rs 1,000 crore in food processing units through NABARD and other banks, the Minister said Rs one lakh crore of investment was expected in the industry in five to ten years. Tax holiday had been extended to give a boost to the sector.

Mr Sahai said priority would be accorded to agriculture and horticulture sectors post-harvest. As about 50,000 crores of fruits and vegetables perished due to lack of processing facilities in the country, it was necessary to have demand oriented technology and oriented hygienic pattern.

He announced that the Centre proposed to set up a mega food park in Karnataka soon and he had discussed the issue with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. The State Government should provide place and necessary infrastructure for the park. The food park had wide scope in the State, which grew a wide range of horticulture products.

Earlier, the Minister visited the Central Food Technological Research Institute here and its Director Dr V Prakash took him around the Institute.

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