To support post-harvest operations, including the establishment of food processing industries in the micro sector, Kolkata’s Food Processing Industries & Horticulture (FPI&H) department is providing a subsidy up to the amount of Rs. 10 lakhs.
The subsidy, which will increase the capacity of food processors working to upscale their operations through capital infusion, technology transfer, skill upgradation, and handholding support, was recently approved by the Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state FPI&H minister Subrata Saha announced at the state Assembly.
Fish, meat, milk, poultry, bakery, cake-pastry, spices, rice mills, oil mills, pulses, vegetables, honey, mushrooms, and any other horticulture and processed food-related industries will all receive help. For the procurement of machines, the department will provide a 40% subsidy, up to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.
Two different financial government assistance programs will be offered. "The state government was under pressure from the food processing industry to provide some type of subsidy. Now that the same has been introduced, the sector will experience a significant increase,” said Saha.
In response to a question from Trinamool Congress MLA Idris Ali about the availability of flour for making bread, the minister stated that while a special kind of wheat is required to make the flour that can be used to make bread, the Central government does not give the state the necessary support to purchase high-quality wheat from Punjab. "The situation can be solved quickly if the Center gives the necessary help in this area," he continued.
In a previous subsidy scheme, the state and the center shared resources. But the scheme had been abandoned for a while. The state's scheme plans to improve food safety and hygiene standards to satisfy FSSAI standards. Additionally, it will enable established self-help organizations that are involved in the food processing industry to become SMEs.
The minister stated his hope that businesses will step forward to establish infrastructure for tomato and watermelon preservation, which are abundant in Cooch Behar. However, a large amount of the crop is squandered due to a lack of preservation resources.
