The Indian Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is laying major emphasis on implementing schemes to scale up infrastructure projects for the food processing industry by investing Rs 241 crore for establishing new abattoirs and ramping up the existing ones, quoting a top official from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), a BS report said.
At a conference on meat processing technologies organised by the Tamil Nadu Technology Development and Promotion Centre (TNDPC) of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Chennai, BS Prakash, Assistant Director General (AN&P), ICAR said: "The MoFPI would make investments to create a brand value for the Indian wholesome hygienic meat products and byproducts. What is more, the Ministry is initiating schemes to upgrade infrastructure for the food processing industry, and as part of this, would invest Rs 241 crore in setting up new abattoirs and upgrading the existing ones. Furtheremore, it would invite expressions of interest for the empanelment of zone-wise project management for the scheme, the official added.
Even as India having considerable livestock population, the export of meat and meat products hardly three percent. The industry and academia should work in tandem to reduce the challenges and boost meat production in the country, he said. Hyderabad-based National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM) is contemplating on collaborating with TNDPC to start training programmes for the entrepreneurs in the sector.
AK Srikanth, CEO of Alchemist Foods (Private) Ltd lamented: 'India produced around 6.5 million tonne of meat in 2010-11, which was around 2.2 percent of the global meat production. However, only around 1.1 percent of it is converted into value-added products like sausages, kababs and meat balls, while the world average is 70-72 percent'.
