Ben & Gaws Legal - India’s Mega Food Parks

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Ben Gaws Legal Indias Mega Food Parks
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Indias food processing industry is one of the
largest contributors in the economic growth of
the country. The food processing industry
creates a direct linkage between the rural
economy and the industry. In comparison to other
agriculture centred nations across the world,
India is the largest producer of millets, milk
and livestock, and ranks second in the production
of vegetables, fruits and fisheries. Indias
food processing sector is growing at a stupendous
rate and is the largest in the world and is
projected to reach 35 billion by the year
2025-26.
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The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is
committed at improving and increasing the food
processing capacity of various commodities, and
also reducing loss of agriculture produce after
harvest. The ministry has introduced a variety
of reforms focusing at strengthening the
infrastructure of the sector. Ben Gaws legal
explains that in this regard, the Ministry of
Food Processing Industries in congruence with the
central government has announced several reforms
or initiatives such as unified agricultural
market, farm gate infrastructure, mega food parks
etc.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada is a comprehensive
package scheme launched by the Ministry that aims
at creating modern infrastructure with efficient
and effective supply chain management ranging
from farm gate to the retail outlet.
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The Mega Food park scheme is designed and
formulated with the aim to provide a mechanism to
directly link the agricultural produce to the
market. The scheme aims to achieve it by
bringing closer and bridging the gap between the
farmers, processors and retailers. The scheme
is categorically designed to increase value
addition, minimise wastage, and amplify the
income of the farmers and create livelihood
opportunities, especially in the rural areas.
Based on the cluster approach, the mega food
park scheme envisions creation of the
state-of-the-art infrastructure in state-defined
horticultural zones. These parks are equipped
with modern food processing amenities and units
and boast of well-established market linkage and
supply chains. Ben and Gaws legal expands that
these mega food parks usually consist of supply
chain infrastructure ranging from collection
centres, processing centres, to cold chain and
storages.
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Currently, there are 22 Mega Food Parks
operational in the country 1. Srini Mega Food
Park in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh 2. Godavari Mega
Aqua Park in West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh 3.
North East Mega Food Park in Nalbari, Assam 4.
Indus Best Mega Food Park in Raipur,
Chhattisgarh 5. Gujarat Agro Mega Food Park in
Surat, Gujarat 6. Cremica Mega Food Park in Una,
Himachal Pradesh 7. Integrated Mega Food Park in
Tumkur, Karnataka 8. Kerala Industrial
Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA)
Mega Food Park in Palakkad, Kerala 9. Indus Mega
Food Park in Khargoan, Madhya Pradesh 10. Avantee
Mega Food Park in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh 11.
Paithan Mega Food Park in Aurangabad,
Maharashtra 12. Satara Mega Food Park in Satara,
Maharashtra 13. Zoram Mega Food Park in Kolasib,
Mizoram 14. MITS Mega Food Park in Rayagada,
Odisha
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15. International Mega Food Park in Fazilka,
Punjab 16. Sukhjit Mega Food Park in Kapurthala,
Punjab 17. Greentech Mega Food Park in Ajmer,
Rajasthan 18. Smart Agro Mega Food Park in
Nizamabad, Telangana 19. Tripura Mega Food Park
in West Tripura, Tripura 20. Patanjali Food and
Herbal Park in Haridwar, Uttarakhand 21.
Himalayan Mega Food Park in Udham Singh Nagar,
Uttarakhand 22. Jangipur Bengal Mega Food Park in
Murshidabad, West Bengal These Mega Food Parks
are a boon for farmers who have not been getting
adequate prices for their produce because of a
variety of reasons that include lack of
infrastructure support like cold storages,
warehouses for storage of grains, and ripening
chambers for fruits.
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The Mega Food parks offer a comprehensive and
consolidated, one place solution to all of these
above mentioned problems. These integrated and
well connected food terminals provide solutions
using state-of-the-art technology.
Organisations like Ben Gaws have been
assisting the government in the scheme by
manufacturing grain silos for storage of grains
at these food parks. These food parks also
help save the farmers from the middlemen and
exploitation by the traders. The parks allow all
farmers, small, marginal, medium and large
farmers equal opportunities to market their
produce directly. This reduces their unwarranted
merchandising stress and logistic troubles.
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Almost 58 of Indias population is agrarian in
nature, and this calls for focused attention
towards improving the socio-economic condition of
the farmers. Schemes like the mega food parks
can offer farmers the best chance to sell their
produce directly to the companies at their
desired prices, without the hassle of middlemen
or traders. In a country whose economy is largely
driven by agriculture and its allied sectors,
such innovative and scientific solutions to
agrarian issues is the way forward.