Harsimrat approves food processing cum business incubation center for PAU

Chandigarh, December 10, 2014: Punjab Agriculture University is all set to have  a ‘Food Processing cum Business Incubation Centre’ at PAU Regional Research Station, Bathinda with Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today approving the establishment of this first of its kind centre in Punjab.

A memorandum to this effect has been signed between Punjab Agriculture University and Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, Thanjavur Tamilnadu in the presence of Badal. The Centre will be a joint venture of PAU and IICPT and will cater to the modern needs of peasantry in the area of food processing besides enabling farmers and youth to acquire the necessary skill and training.

Giving details in this regard, Badal said this centre will be operational within 6 months and that the same model would be replicated in other areas of Punjab. She said this centre would go a long way in supporting the farmers of the region as well as educating and making them aware of modern agri and marketing techniques. She said the centre would be also be a boon for both the agriculture community as it would focus on processing of fruits and vegetables and milling of grains.

The Food Processing Minister also informed that the her ministry was  contemplating to create mini food parks in different areas of Punjab to give a push to the processing of local produce to facilitate farmers to produce high yields  with marketing facilities. She said these parks would be spread over 20 to 25 acres. 

She also said creation of primary processing centres was also the focus area of her ministry under which cooperatives would be engaged to setup ultra modern processing centres for milk, fruit and vegetables.

She also gave a call to Punjab farmers to take full advantage of various schemes of department to come out of the vicious paddy-wheat cycle. She said requisite grants would be given by her ministry for setting up state-of-the-art abattoirs vis-a-vis reefer vehicle schemes. She said her ministry would provide grant of Rs. 5 lakh each to individual meat shop owner for requisite refrigeration facilities.

The MoU was signed by B.S. Dhillon Vice Chancellor, PAU and Dr. K.Singaravadivel, Director IICPT in the presence of Badal.    

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