(a) the details regarding the processed foods consumption in Kerala;
(b) whether any new food startups are being introduced by the Government in Kerala;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details on the significance of the food industry in the country?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a): As per the results of the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by NSSO during 2011-12, the processed foods such snacks, prepared sweets, cake, pastry, biscuits, chocolates, papad, bhujia, namkeen, chips, pickles, sauce, jam, jelly are consumed both in rural and urban areas. As per the survey, the monthly per capita expenditure for such products is Rs.58.60 in rural areas and Rs.66.69 in urban areas.
(b) & (c): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing various Central Sector Schemes under its Central Sector Umbrella Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) for overall development of food processing sector including providing assistance to set up new food processing units. PMKSY has seven component schemes viz. (i) Mega Food Parks, (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, (iii) Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters, (iv) Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, (v) Creation/Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities, (vi) Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, and (vii) Human Resources and Institutions. The PMKSY is designed to create robust modern infrastructure along the entire food processing value/supply chain i.e. from farm gate to consumer. Also, MoFPI is implementing Operation Greens scheme as a vertical of PMKSY for integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) crops value chain, with an outlay of Rs. 500 Crore in the selected States on pilot basis.
Individuals, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Entrepreneurs, Cooperatives, Societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Private Companies and Central/ State PSUs etc. are eligible for financial assistance under the schemes of PMKSY for setting up of food processing industries/ units/ projects in any part of the country including in the State of Kerala.
(d): As per the estimates of the National Accounts Statistics, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the food processing sector contributed 1.59 % to all India-GVA (Gross value added) in 2017-18. As per the latest estimates of the Annual Survey of Industries, 2016-17, the food processing industry is one of the major employment intensive segments constituting 12.43% of employment generated in all registered factory sector. The processed food sector also accounts for about 11% of country’s total export.
*****