6,000 food processing industries will be set up in Karnataka: Minister
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating an awareness workshop on the PMFME Scheme in an innovative manner — by extracting oil using a traditional oil press at the Cauvery Hall of the Zilla Panchayat in Mandya.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India; Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited; Mandya District Administration; Zilla Panchayat, and the Department of Agriculture had jointly organised the workshop.
In his address, the Minister said Mandya stands second in the State for providing loans and subsidies under the scheme for setting up food processing industries. Along with traditional farming, integrated farming — even in one acre of land — can give more yield with minimal expenditure with proper guidance from farm scientists and officers.
The Minister said a person can earn at least ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 a month if schemes for food processing are used effectively. Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan has appreciated the State Agriculture Department for its works and stated that Karnataka has performed better than other states, he added. Advising young farmers to turn into entrepreneurs adopting food processing technologies, the Minister said that instead of looking for jobs, the youth can create jobs as well by setting up units. Most people in Mandya have lands, and integrated farm practices can therefore be adopted as it provides higher yields, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy noted.
The Minister also advised that one need not be looking for high profile jobs just because they are highly educated, as they can also become entrepreneurs, setting up their own enterprises under the PMFME. ''It can be a profitable venture.'
ZP CEO K.R. Nandini said Mandya is an agriculture-based district, but the income of farmers is not satisfactory. Paddy, sugarcane, and coconut are the major crops cultivated in the district, she said, suggesting that farmers can diversify their crops to enhance their incomes and choose crops suitable for the soil and climate of the district. Avocados grow well here and have good demand abroad, she said.
Value addition to farm products can fetch good returns, and with the demand for ready-made food, farmers must take advantage of this, she said, adding that food processing industries create employment opportunities.
MLA Shrirangapattana Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda, Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited Managing Director C.N. Shivaprakash, MySugar company chairman C.D. Gangadhar, Deputy Commissioner Kumar, State Agriculture Society president Manjunath Gowda, director of State Farmer Producer Organisations Cooperative Rajesh, president of Bellada Nadu Farmer Producer Companies Federation Kasaravadi Mahadev, and other dignitaries were present.
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