Government Is Giving Rs 10 Lakh For Food Processing Industry; Farmers To Get Direct Benefit

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ campaigns, to provide technical, financial and business support to micro food processing units in the country.

The total funds allocated for this scheme were valued at Rs. 10,000  crores and will be disbursed from 2020 to 2025. A grant of up to Rs 10 lakh will be given this year to the beneficiaries, especially for projects related to the food processing industry.  

Objectives of PMFME: 

• Credit access to existing micro food processing businesses, Farmer Producer Organisations(FPOs), co-operatives, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), for technology upgradation along with enhancing the competitiveness of individual micro enterprises operating in the unorganized food processing industry. 

• Assistance to 200,000 existing micro food processing units to transform them into organized units, by strengthening their marketing & branding, and integrating the supply chain with formal units 

• Increased access to shared services, such as storage, incubation facilities, and packaging

• Professional and technical support for food processing entrepreneurs

• Proper training and research to individual or group owned food processing enterprises

The PMFME Scheme has adopted the One District One Product approach.  Under this approach, the state identifies and selects a food product for the district, that could be a perishable agricultural crop, such as cereals, or a food product that is largely produced in the district. Tomato, mango, potato, litchi, millet-based goods, fishery, poultry, meat, and animal feeds are some of the food products covered by the ODOP. Traditional and innovative products like honey, minor forest products in tribal areas, and herbal items like turmeric are also supported by the scheme.  

Nashik Onion has been chosen under the One District One Product. 

The District Agriculture Superintendent (Nashik, Maharashtra), Vivek Sonawane has appealed to the District Agriculture Officers to submit applications for loans under the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Processing Industries Scheme. 

And loan approval for agro-processing industry has been organized from January 3 to January 18, 2022. For which District Agriculture Superintendent has appealed to the interested people to submit proposals for it. 

Loan application Process: Detailed guidelines for the scheme and information about submission of online application have been given on the official website.  

Eligible beneficiaries are requested by the Administration to expedite the process of Bank Loan Approval from preparation of Detailed Project Plan and submission of proposals in a prescribed manner.