Field Fresh Foods (P) Limited, a 50:50 JV between Bharti Enterprises and Del Monte Pacific, plans to expand its horizon by roping in several thousand farmers across the states to add more perishables to its product portfolio for domestic as well as overseas market in coming years. Adding another feat to its largest integrated research and development facility at Ladowal, in district Ludhiana, the company has set up first fresh produce pack house with hydro cooling facility at its agri centre of excellence facility spread over 300 acres model farm in Punjab.
“Field Fresh has made significant investments towards introducing latest farm technology and creating modern farm infrastructure such as protected cultivation in Punjab. The state-of-the-art pack house will provide the much-needed strength to cold chain infrastructure in the state and help us serve our customers better,” said Rakesh Bharti Mittal, vice chairman, Bharti Enterprises.
“Farmers in Punjab have been able to multiple their per acre remunerations by growing crops like baby corn and vegetables compared to traditional crops like wheat and paddy,” Mittal said while divulging on the state of art facility fresh pack house facility spread over 50,000 sq feet.
Mittal said that company seeks to tie up with more and more farmers introducing them to world class standards for agricultural practices, progressive farming techniques and identification and adoption of appropriate technologies to grow premium quality fresh produce for the domestic and markets worldwide.
“At present, 80-odd farmers that are under partnership with the company, have received internationally-acclaimed Eurepgap certification,” Mittal divulged. At the occasion, Field Fresh also announced that it has been permitted by the Punjab government to have bilateral agreements for directly procurement of fresh produce from farmers in the state.
Field Fresh is steadily strengthening its procurement and overseas trade business in the last few years and hopes to export 100 consignments of vegetables and fruits in the current fiscal.