Merino Group diversifies into Food Processing Industry

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) The Rs 250-crore Merino Group, largest manufacturers and exporters of decorative laminates in Asia from India, has diversified into the food processing industry bringing a new dimension to country's agri-produce.

The new product from Merino Group, Vegit Aloo Mash, entered the retail market today with 120 gram and 400 gram packs having a shelf life of one year.

The total cost of the project is Rs 15 crore. State-of-the-art Plant and Machinery and Process Technology for potato processing has been imported from Netherland. The entire process is automated and the plant has a capacity of 300 kgs per hour, which will be increased in phases to 900 kgs per hour. The plant is ISO-9001, ISO-14001 and HACCP Certified.

The product is launched by the Agri-Division of the Century Laminating Company, a Merino Group entity.

Launching the product, Mr Prakash Lohia, Managing Director, Century Laminating Company, said that the product has been available in the industrial segment from past one year, straight away substituting similar products imported by the industrial segment.

Availability of high quality potato flakes from a domestic manufacturer has not only benefitted the industry but has also saved valuable foreign exchange.

India's potato production is estimated to be about 25 million tonnes cultivated over 1.3 hectares, making India the third largest producer of potato.

Till recently, chips was the main potato processed product in the country. With the launch of Vegit Aloo Mash new avenues for home culinary possibilities have opened up, from Aloo Parathas to Tikkis to Halwa to Cutlet and many Indian and continental cuisines using the versatile and convenient Vegit Aloo Mash, he added.

The Merino Group has set up a tissue culture laboratory in Bhimtal (Uttaranchal) and Hapur (UP) for development of multiplication of potato seeds and other varieties of seeds.

The Group has also organised a system of Contract Farming for producing select varieties of potatoes. Post harvesting management, modern cold storage techniques and comprehensive agronomy support is being extended to these contract farmers ensuring quality output consistently.

The total market size for fruits and vegetables is Rs 1,13,000 crore. Of this, wastage is as high as 30-40 per cent largely because of poor post harvesting infrastructure and only less than 2 per cent is being processed.

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