Food & Beverage News: Top Stories - Increase in fruits & vegetables processing: Mofpi

As per the data maintained by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (Fssai) under the ministry of health and family welfare, the installed capacity of fruits and vegetables processing units (FPO licensed units) has increased from 26.38 lakh tonnes as on January 1, 2008, to 30.89 lakh tonnes as on January 1, 2009.

At present, the fruits & vegetables processing level is expected to be around 2.20% in the country.

“In order to increase the level of processing and to promote food processing industries to exploit both the domestic and international market potential, Vision 2015 document has been finalised by the ministry which envisages tripling the size of the processed food sector by increasing the level of processing of perishables from 6% to 20% value addition from 20% 35% and share in global food trade from 1.5% to 3% by 2015. An integrated strategy for promotion of agribusiness-vision, strategy and action plan for the food processing sector has also been approved by the government,” the Mofpi said in its statement.

Currently, there are about 5,166 fruits and vegetables processing units licensed under fruits products order, 1955, in the country. According to the Mofpi, during the 11th Five Year Plan – the ministry has received some proposals from areas like Kamrup, Karimganj District of Assam for financial assistance for setting up of fruits and vegetables processing units.

According to Fssai, Maharashtra has the largest number of fruits & vegetables (1,048) followed by Tamil Nadu (544), Uttar Pradesh (485), Kerala (445), Karnataka (328), Gujarat (305) and Andhra Pradesh (296).