The Hindu Business Line : Kalam inaugurates food processing park

The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and other dignitaries at the inauguration of the Kinfra Food Processing Park at Kakkanchery in Malappuram district on Thursday.

Kochi , Sept. 25

THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Thursday inaugurated the Food Processing Park set up by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) at Kakkanchery in Malappuram district.

The President said on the occasion that it was time to enhance the economic activity in the region by creating more units in the park for which the technology can be drawn from Defence Food Research Laboratory and Central Food Technology Research Institute of Mysore. These institutions have been working in the area of food processing and food preservation for three to four decades, he said.

The President pointed out that agriculture and food processing are the most important areas projected in the Vision 2020 document for transforming India into a developed nation. Even though 70 per cent of the population working in the area of agriculture, the products of the farmers are not getting adequate remuneration for the efforts they put in. Food items produced in various parts of the country require value addition through technology.

The food processing industry in Kerala is to set a modern trend in quality, ensure availability of the product in the right time and at the right price. Every product coming out of this centre should have a label of its content, additives, preservative material etc.

With this approach, he said Kerala food processing units could become globally competitive. Kinfra can also support such a programme for making a mobile agro-processing unit, which can travel in the whole region. With this model, entrepreneurs can establish small-scale food processing industries in the region depending upon local needs and resources, he added.

As Kerala is rich in coconut, the park has got to take up coconut products as their core-competence like packaged coconut water for which the technology is available with DFRL. Similarly Kinfra can also work on copra and coconut oil in a big way. As a by-product, they can also work on coir products coming out of coconut shells, he said.

The park set up with an investment of Rs 19.50 crore in the 60 acres of land caters to fruits and vegetable processing industries, milk products, poultry and meat products, grain processing industry etc. The Central Warehousing Corporation has been allotted 4.21 acres of land for setting up the cold storage facility in the park and the Quality Assurance lab will be set up in two phases.

UNI adds: The President called upon students to carry the qualities of righteousness and leadership imbibed by them during their college years to make the world peaceful.

Delivering the convocation address at the Calicut University at Thenhipalam, near Kozikode, he also suggested e-literacy as the core competence for Kerala in the future.

``Righteousness in the heart leads to beauty in character and it in turn brings harmony in souls. Where there is harmony in souls, there is order in the nation. Where there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world,'' he said.

While pointing out that Government jobs were on decline, he asked the universities to stress on professional education and ``equip the students with innovation and entrepreneurship.''

Eminent jurist Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, renowned artist M.F. Hussain and the University Grants Commission Chairman, Prof Arun Nigvekar, were honoured with doctorate degrees by the Calicut University.

The State Governor, Mr Sikandar Bakht, conferred the degrees on the renowned personalities at a glittering function in the presence of the President. The university bestowed D Litt on the former Supreme Court judge and the eminent artist, while Prof Nigvekar was honoured with D Sc.

The President arrived at Karippur airport at 10:30 am, beginning his two-day tour of the State. He was received by the Governor and others at the airport.

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