Keventer's food processing unit on stream by December

Kolkata, Nov 10 (UNI) The multi-product agro-processing unit set up by the Keventer Projects Ltd, adjacent to the land allotted for Tata's small-car Nano plant at Sanand in Gujarat, is all set to start its production by December.

This was informed here today by Keventer Projects Ltd Chairman M K Jalan, while speaking on the sidelines of a road show on ''Vibrant Gujarat,'' jointly organised here by the Gujarat Government and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Mr Jalan said the food processing unit, sprawled over 30 acres, would be 100 per cent export oriented and the project entailed a total investment to the tune of Rs 150 crore.

'' This is our first venture in Gujarat. We have directly bought the land from the landowners. Moreover, our decision to opt for Gujarat as a destination for our unit should not be linked with Tata Motors' move to pull out Nano project from West Bengal. We have also plans for West Bengal in future, '' Mr Jalan informed.

Moreover, Mr Jalan said Gujarat was also in the company's radar for coming up with a similar unit, in collaboration with a foreign firm, adding feasibility studies were going on in this regard.

Preferring to remain tightlipped about divulging details about the foreign company, the Chairman hinted that the firm had a networth of USD 20 billion.

Meanwhile, delivering a presentation on ''Vision for Agri Business in Gujarat,'' the state's Pricipal Secretary (Agriculture) P N Roy Chowdhury said Gujarat's budgetary allocation to the farm sector was around Rs 750 crore.

''Blessed with abundant natural resources like soil and climate coupled with diversified cropping pattern, abundant water and power supply, agriculture in Gujarat has been growing at Compound Annual Growth Rate(CAGR) of 12.27 per cent between 2002 and 2007,'' Mr Roy Chowdhury said.

According to him, Gujarat handled 30 per cent of the country's total cargo traffic, out of which 60 per cent accounted for the state sector only.

Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Managing Director S C Srivastav said the state, with a coastline of about 1,600 km, was armed with 42 ports, including a major port at Kandla, having strategic location for export.

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