‘Opportunities aplenty for food processing’

Rajamahendravaram: Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society (APFPS) chief executive officer Dr Y V Prasad has said that abundant opportunities are available in the state for food processing industry, which has a good demand for food-related products.

1. APFPS CEO Dr Y V Prasad says the state govt allocated `300 cr for the development of food processing industry and Centre Rs 700 cr for the entire country
2. Lists out many sops the state is offering to food processing industries 

Participating in a regional conference on Food Processing Industry at a resorts here on Saturday, Prasad said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had allocated Rs 300 crore for the development of the industry in the state, whereas the Central government earmarked Rs 700 crore for entire country.

The government is encouraging the industry by giving many incentives such as reimbursement of power consumption charges at Rs 1. 50 per unit for a period of' five years,, Rs 1 per unit for fish and shrimp processing units, reimbursement of non-agriculture land assessment tax for the produce purchased directly from farmers, reimbursement of 100 per cent stamp duty and transfer duty, along with cent per cent reimbursement of VAT/CST/GST for micro enterprises, 75 per cent for medium industries and 50 per cent for large industries for a period of five years.

The success ratio 90 per cent and the entrepreneurs should study the market feasibility and other aspects before starting a food processing unit. He said 70 people were living in rural areas where they were not getting value added products so far and the food industry benefits them  a lot in this regard.

The APFPS CEO said there were many schemes available such as integrated food park, mega food park, new food processing unit, primary processing collection centres, cold chain units, modernisation of abattoirs, reefer vehicles, units for processing of waste produced in food processing units, cold chain units for starting shrimp and fish processing units, etc.  Prasad appealed to the participants to avail this opportunities to become industrialists. Dr Ramakrishna Rao from JNTUK, Sridhar from GMR and others also took part.