The Centre is keen on strengthening the food processing sector, as it alone could save the farming community from the current crisis, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said.

The food processing parks now coming up across the country would help double the farmer's income, she said while laying the foundation stone for the mega ₹119 crore food processing park at Kanjikode in Palakkad along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.

In an indirect reference to the farmers protests across the country, the Minister said she was hailing from the agrarian community and was quite aware of the crisis its members suffered. The commissioning of food processing parks would help double the farmers’ income, she added.

The Ministry, she said, is focusing on boosting the food processing industry so that agriculture sector would grow exponentially and become a major contributor to doubling the farmer’s income. The parks will help add value to food-based products apart from reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain and will also give particular focus on perishables.

Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) is developing the park in 78 acres with the financial assistance of Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

The facilities being created at park include Pack house (Sorting grading packing), warehouse of 12000 tonnes, silos of 6000 tonnes, multi product cold storage of 5000 tonnes etc.

According to the Chief Minister, the State would work together with the Union Ministry for time-bound commissioning and effective functioning of the park.

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