After commissioning of first mega food park at Rayagada with support from the Centre, Odisha government is planning to set up at least six more food and seafood parks for harnessing the potential of the food processing sector. At present the state government is in the process of setting up seafood park at Deras, Rice Technology Park at Bhadrak and medium size food parks at Ganjam, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal, Balasore and Baragarh. Besides, the state government has plans for developing Centres of Excellence for agro and marine products in collaboration with Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology. “We could emerge as one amongst the key states in the food processing sector contributing a significantly to the country’s exports of agricultural and processed food exports over next decade or so,” LN Gupta, principal secretary, MSME department (Odisha) told FE. He said the state government is providing capital investment subsidy upto Rs 5 to 15 crore for food processing industries, cold chains, primary processing centres and food testing labs.
Odisha has 10 agro-climatic zones and is amongst the top ten states in terms of production of rice, vegetables, sea-food and cashew. The state is also the major producer of coconut, oilseeds, potato, corn, chilly, ginger and turmeric. The seafood park, currently being developed by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, is at a cost of Rs 134 crore. The land has been allotted to 20 firms on the basis of committed investments. Spread across 152 acres, the project has been approved under the Mega Food Park Scheme of food processing industries ministry and would accommodate 41 processing units.
Financial assistance up to 20% of the project cost, excluding land cost, subject to limit of Rs 15 crore will be provided to special purpose vehicle promoting seafood park. The first mega food park in Odisha was inaugurated by food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal set up few months ago at Rayagada with the investment of Rs 80 crore. This is the seventh mega food park operationalised in the last three years under the NDA government. Meanwhile, Odisha will be participating as a ‘focus state’ in the forthcoming World Food India – 2017 being organised here during November 3-5.