Food processing: 25 per cent of UP raw material wasted

Lucknow, July 26 (UNI) More than 25 per cent of the agricultural produce in Uttar Pradesh is wasted annually due to non-availability of food processing technology.

In a bid to increase the shelf life of agricultural produce and to help the farming community enhance its remunerations, the state government has set a target of 12 per cent increase in the food processing industry.

State Chief Secretary Naveen Chandra Bajpai told reporters here that while UP was a leader in production of wheat, sugar cane, maize, vegetables, potatoes and milk production in the country, less attention was being paid on the food processing sector.

While about 70 per cent of the agricultural produce is consumed in a raw form, only three per cent is processed for future. The remaning 25 per cent is wasted.

''The food processing industry was recognised as a thrust area in the industrial policy of the state a couple of years back. But the things have started rolling only recently,'' a background paper prepared by the government admitted.

Food processing sector in UP is dominated by grain, pulse and oil milling units. ...''this is characteristic of low value addition and employment generation,'' added the chief secretary.

The government today admitted that while 74 per cent of UP's population depended on agriculture, farmers were unable to save their produce for future use and sale due to lack of food processing units.

In a bid to promote the sector, the UP Development Council is organising a two-day national seminar here later this week.

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