Karandlaje calls for manufacturing of food processing machinery
With India becoming a food surplus country, the country’s farmer needs affordable machinery and technologies to expand production and come up with value-added products with export potential, Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said at the 7th International Exhibition and Conference EIMA Agrimach India 2022 on 2 Sept.
Speaking on the occasion, Karandlaje encouraged equipment manufacturers and technology developers to manufacture food processing machinery in the country which would help check the rampant wastage of agriculture and horticulture produce.
She said that instead of wasting, the food could be exported to nations with limited food production avenues.
Karandlaje said, “What the country needs now is affordable and quality food processing, agri-marketing and agri-export avenues.”
She also noted that with 2023 being the ‘International Year of Millets’, India could step up exports as the country is among the leading producers of millets.
In his address, Minister of Large and Medium Industries of Karnataka, Murugesh R Nirani, said that increased efforts were needed for technology improvement, adoption and exports.
In addition, the minister encouraged foreign industry participants to introduce affordable mechanised farming, given the small land holdings in the state.
EIMA Agrimach India 2022, running in its 7th edition, is being organised for the first time in Bengaluru.
The event had registered participants from more than 40 countries and more than 10,000 farmers, industry stakeholders, investors, agriculture researchers and students. fiinews.com
