Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said there is an urgent need to expand the food processing sector to create avenues for livelihood generation through entrepreneurship and improve the economic status of farmers.
“The food processing industry accounts for only 10 per cent of the total agricultural produce of the State. There is a need to expand the sector to create avenues for livelihood generation through entrepreneurship and improve the economic status of farmers,” he said, addressing at a food processing workshop here.
The chief minister said, “Value addition has been one of the key focus area for the government. Keeping this in mind the government has recently created the Directorate of Food Processing to tap the potential and give adequate thrust to agro processing activities in the State.”
He urged the people, especially the young entrepreneurs, to utilise the opportunities in the food processing sector, informing that the government is taking keen interests for the development of entrepreneurship in the state and has embarked on various programs to handhold, nurture and assist the budding entrepreneurs.
“I want to see young people get into entrepreneurship. I want the people of the state to develop an entrepreneurial culture. That is the reason why the government has initiated various programmes to help young people to take up entrepreneurship as a viable option for self-employment and in turn create livelihood opportunities for others as well,” he said.
Urging people to look beyond conventional domestic markets, Sangma said neighbouring countries are a source of marketing the goods produced in the region.
“We share close to 440 km of international boundary with Bangladesh. This is a huge opportunity for us, to market and sell our products to nearby neighbouring countries and beyond,” he said.
Earlier, Agriculture Production Commissioner K N Kumar informed the gathering that according to the report of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries the total value of Food Processing Industry will touch Rs 3.45 lakh crore in 2020.
“We need to take advantage of the rapid growth in the sector. We need to sensitise the people about various government schemes so that they can seize the opportunity of the current growth in the processing sector,” he said.
The chief minister also released the Food Processing Technical Manual at the inaugural function. Over 600 farmers, agri-entrepreneurs are attending the workshop.
Source: Business Standard
