Andhra Pradesh emerging as food processing hub

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh occupies a premier position in India's agriculture and agribusiness industry as several allied sectors such as horticulture, dairy, poultry, fisheries and marine production have been witnessing doubt-digit growth rate. Around 60 per cent of the population is employed in agriculture and related activities which make food processing one of the major thrust areas for the State.

AP ranked first in India in productivity of oil palm, cocoa, Acid lime, papaya, tomato and chillies, second in India in productivity of mango, sweet orange and turmeric. AP is also a leading producer of milk, meat producers and stands at 1st position of egg production, 2nd in paddy and maize. AP share in seafood exports value in the country is 36.11 per cent and stood first in the production of shrimp with 66.67 per cent. India's food processing sector is one of the largest in the world and its output is expected to reach $535 billion by 2025-26.

For the development of Food Processing Sector in the State Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society (APFPS) has been established to act as a nodal agency by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Every effort is being made to ensure farmers get remunerative prices for their produce and in that direction 25 food processing units with an estimated cost of Rs2,500 crore will be established across the State in the ensuing months. AP government is spending Rs10,000 crore on food processing units and allied activities to promote food processing industry. Towards this, the State government is setting up Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and Janata Bazars. These will serve as marketing centers to promote agricultural produce on behalf of farmers. Every Lok Sabha constituency in AP will get a food processing cluster, says Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

The AP government has invited the industry to partner with the State government in setting up food processing units. The Centre is developing seven food processing projects at Rs164 crore approved a grant-in aid of Rs28cr. As many as 16,500 farmers and entrepreneurs will be benefited from the projects. These food processing projects will come up with state-of-the-art facilities. The proposed projects will prove a milestone in the growth of food processing sector in Andhra Pradesh as it'll benefit farmers, growers, processors and consumers of respective regions and adjoining areas immensely.

Farmers can reap major benefits from food processing units

APIIC has set up ultra-modern food processing plant at Mallavalli Food Park in Krishna district. Spread over 58 acres the Rs86-cr Core Processing Centre (CPC) has facilities to extract pulp from fruits and packaging enabling farmers to directly export. For instance, a unit at CPC has a capacity to extract 10 tonnes of pulp per hour. Ripening chambers have capacity of storing 120 tonnes of fruits and cold storage with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes. The Mallavalli Food Park developed at Rs113crore. The park facilitates several food processing plants to make spice powder, fruit juices, etc. Farmers, who cultivate mango, tomato, papaya, banana, guava and other fruites, will be benefited. Andhra Pradesh government proposed 24 Secondary Food Processing Units in the Parliamentary Constituencies as on July 4th 2021

MAJOR CLUSTERS / PARKS

l Ultra Mega Food Park to be developed in Kuppam with state-of-the-art infrastructure

l Development of Mega and Integrated Food Parks proposed

l Inland Container Port (ICD) at Chittoor and Kakinada ports

l Proposed Mango Development Board (Tirupati) and Banana Development board

GOVT OF INDIA SANCTIONED FOOD PARKS

l Srini Food Park: Located at Mogilli Village, Bangarupalyam Mandal, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh in an extent of 140 acres with Core Processing facilities like Aseptic Pulping and Concentrate, IQF, Blast Freezing, Tetra pack Juice Processing, Cold Stores, Pack House and Ripening Facilities etc.

l M/s. Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park Ltd.: Located at Tundurru Village, Bhimavaram Mndl., West Godavari district, in an extent of 57.81 acres with Core Processing facilities like Pre Processing Line for Fish and Shrimp, Freezing facilities, Cold Storage for Fish, Cold Storage for Shrimp, Block Ice Plant etc.

l M/s. APIIC Mega Food Park: Located at Mallavalli Vill., Bapulapadu Mndl., Krishna Dt. In an area of 100 acres with Core Processing facilities like Cold Storage, Ripening Chamber, Warehouse, Packing Unit, Aseptic Pulping Line, Aseptic Brick Carton Filling and Packing Line etc.

l M/s. Nekkanti Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. (Mega Food Park): Located at Kothapatnam Village, Kota Mandal, Nellore Dt. Extent 52.22 acres, Core Processing facilities Grading machine – Shrimp, Butterfly peeling – Shrimp, Filth washing machine – Shrimp, IQF, Plate freezer, Cold storage etc.

l M/s. SH Food Processing Pvt. Ltd. (Mega Food Park): Location of Project Kothapatnam Village, Kota Mandal, Nellore Dt., Extent 53.74 acres, Core Processing facilities-IQF ,RTC Facility Thermoform FFS, Egg Liquid Conversion & Egg Powder Making Facility, Dry Warehouse, Deep Freeze, Blast Freezing line

l M/s. North Coastal Integrated Food Park Pvt. Ltd.: Location of Project B.P. Varakattu Village, Cheepurupalli Mandal, Vizianagaram Dt, Extent 37.89 acres, Core Processing facilities Dry Warehouse, Cashew De-shelling Unit, Cold Storage, Sorting/ Grading Line, Tamarind Processing , Testing Laboratory, Boiler, Workshop Shed.

l M/s. Sri Varsha Integrated Food Park Pvt. Ltd. (Integrated Food Park): Location of Project Settigunta Village, Rly Kodur Mandal, Kadapa Dt, Extent 44.78 acres, Core Processing facilities Sorting, Grading and Packing, IQF & Blast Freezer Frozen Cold Storage Ripening Chambers, Laboratory, Blast Freezer and Pre Processing etc.

l M/s. Patanjali Food and Herbal Park Pvt. Ltd.: Location of Project Chinnaraopalli (V), Kothavalasa (M), Vizianagaram, Extent 172.84 acres, Core Processing facilities Cold Storage with Blast Freezer Aseptic Filling & Pulping Line Pre-Cooling & Ripening chambers IQF Freezer Dry Warehouse Drying Grinding etc.

l M/s. North Andhra Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd.: Location of Project Srikakulam, Extent 60 acres, Core Processing facilities grading, conveyors and peelers, IQF, plate freezer Cold storage, F&V – IQF Specialized warehouse Material handling MA store Weighbridge etc.

l M/s. Specialized SRK Foods Pvt. Ltd.: Location of Project APIIC Industrial Area, Thatiguntapalli Village, Vayalpadu Mandal, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, Extent 45 acres, Core Processing facilities Dry Warehouse, Multi-Purpose Cold Storage, Pack house, IQF, Ripening Chambers, Demonstration Plot, Material Handling Infra etc.

Major Benefits

l One of the largest food producing States in India

l 5 Agro climatic zones

l Large and diverse raw material base suitable for Food Processing Industries.

l Good scientific and research talent pool with 70 per cent literacy rate and 58 Agricultural Research Stations.

l Well-developed infrastructure distribution network.

l Rapid Urbanization, changing lifestyle, increase of women in organized work force, rising per capita income

l leading to new opportunities in Food and Beverages Sector

l Strategic geographic location with 980 kms of coastline, 5 ports, 1 International Airport, 3 Domestic Airports operating

l 8 Ports, 2 International Airports and 5 Domestic Airports in the pipeline

l Large Road and Rail network with National and State Highways and Inland Transport Systems

l 4 Major river systems and 17 Minor rivers

l 8.45 Million Ha net cultivable area

l 24 x 7 power supply

l Industrial Local Authority status for Food Parks

l Single Window clearance for Food Processing Units

l Credit at 9.5 per cent interest to Processing Units in Food Parks from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

KEY FISCAL INCENTIVES

A grant of 50 per cent of project cost for setting up Mega Food Parks, Integrated Food Parks including VAT/CST/GST reimbursement is provided. State govt is offering a power subsidy of Rs1.50 per unit for food processing units including cold chains, cold storage units, ripening units for 5 years from date of commencement of commercial production. Capital Subsidy of project cost along with interest subsidy on term loan for fixed capital investments are provided.

Collaborations

The institution works in collaboration with various departments. Few of them are AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC), AP Single Desk Portal, AP Fisheries Dept., AP Horticulture Dept., AP State Portal, AP Marketing Department, nfdb, National Fisheries Department Board, AP Agros, PMSY, AP Horticulture Department, AP Agriculture, Animal Husbandry Department, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Society of Elimination of Rural Poverty, mpeda, Marine Products Export Development Authority, cish, Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture, JNTUK, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological Institute University – Kakinada, Agricultural And Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, National Institute For Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management, Indian Institute Of Spices Research ( IISR ), Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), National Institute Of Nutrition(NIN), National Centre For Cold-Chain Development (NCCD), Technology Business Incubator Agri Business Incubation Society ( TNAU ), Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India, etc.