State needs food policy for agricultural growth: Minister

Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Mar 17 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Food Subodh Kant Sahai today said a food processing policy needs to be formulated to give fillip to the overall advancement in the agricultural sector of Kerala.

Mr Sahai also suggested that food technology be exempted from taxation. He was inaugurating the project office of the proposed food research development institute to be established at Anakuthy, near Konni.

Kerala is blessed with agricultural crops including fruits and vegetables, he said. There is immense potential for food processing in the State but Kerala with half of its population as farmers lagged behind in utilising this potential.

The Union Food Minister wanted strengthening of the distribution chain linking farm-land with market. A good number of commercial institutions were engaged in marketing food-stuffs, he said.

The presence of consumers was also conspicuous. The efficient utilisation of these possibilities was the need of the hour, he said.

The minister called for setting up of food-parks in all districts of the State.

He promised support to the State Government in its efforts towards this direction. The salvation of 60 per cent of farmers in the State lay in the planned marketing of their produce, he said adding that the way-out was intensive propagation of food processing technology.

Kerala Agriculture Minister C Divakaran, who presided over the function, opined that over-dependence of Kerala on other States in the matter of food items had to be done away with.

He said at the proposed food research institute, the processing lab, food park, training centres and quality control centre would be established in four phases. Among those who spoke included Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas, Adoor Prakash, MLA and District Collector Asok Kumar Singh.

UNI