Question : Potato Processing Units

(a) whether in view of the fact that Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh has abundance of potato yield but has no food processing unit, the Ministry plans to establish food processing units in this region;

(b) whether any feasibility study has been undertaken to utilize the potato for food processing purposes and marketing them within I ndia and abroad to enable the farmers of the area to enhance their profits on the yield instead of directly selling the potatoes in the far-away markets; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a): The Ministry does not establish any food processing unit of its own. Rather it provides assistance for setting-up of food processing units under the umbrella scheme of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY). Under the scheme Operation Greens (under PMKSY), integrated value chain development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) has been envisaged. The Scheme provides for setting-up of projects in identified clusters. Fatehpur Sikri is in Agra district, which is one of the identified clusters under the Operation Greens scheme.

(b) & (c): Central Potato Research Institute (under Indian Council for Agriculture Research) has developed indigenous processing varieties of potatoes. This has resulted in increased level of potato processing in recent times. There are many Indian and Multi-National companies involved in processing of potatoes in India.


*****