Integrated
food law on the Government’s agenda again
The
Union Ministry for Food Processing Industries is ready with a draft of
an integrated food law that will replace the laws that regulate the sector
at present. This comes soon after the speech of Prime Minister Atal Behari
Vajpayee at the award function of National Manufacturing Sector Policy,
where he mentioned that the Government was in the process of formulating
one.
The
Centre had constituted a group of ministers (GoM) to formulate a single
law for food processing industries. The GoM have met twice and have
formulated a draft for the law.
Besides
the law efforts are also on to simplify procedures for grant of licences
and other approvals. Computerisation is being undertaken in the four
regional offices of the Ministry. “Since I took over, I have been trying
to simplify matters for the food processing industry,” said Union Minister
for Food Processing, NT Shanmugam.
The
Ministry would soon undertake a state and region specific survey of
all food processing sectors in the country. These inputs would be used
to prepare a Vision Document for the ministry, said Mr Shanmugam.
Industry
appeals to cut duty on aseptic packaging material
Food
industry professionals including cooperatives and private manufacturers
have appealed to the Government to bring down customs as well as excise
duties on aseptic packaging material.
In
accordance with The Aseptic Food Processing and Packaging Industry Association
of India (AFPPA) they have argued that a lower duty component is essential.
This will not only make the domestic fruit and milk product manufacturing
industry price competitive vis-a-vis imports, but will also reduce consumer
price, increase volumes, and reduce wastage.
Aseptic
packaging increases shelf-life and preserves the nutrition of food items.
But since it is expensive, most companies do not use it, leading to
high wastage.
EDI
to promote food processing in Ahmedabad
The
Ministry of Food Processing has appointed, Ahmedabad based, Entrepreneurship
Development Institute of India (EDI) as a new nodal agency to promote
new ventures in the Food Processing Sector in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and Maharashtra. Other states will also be included in the project
once the results in the four states have been reviewed. EDI will be
training about 2,500 people from these states and is expecting about
2,000 of them to establish small food processing units. EDI plans to
undertake the Conduction of Entrepreneurship Development Programme and
Capacity Building of Stakeholders and Implementing Agencies.
The
government is also planning to set up a National Institute of Food and
Beverages Technology at a cost of Rs 100 crore, in the near future.
New
fruit–based beverages from Dabur by year–end
Dabur
Foods is planning to launch fruit-based beverages by the end of the
year. The drinks would be primarily targeted at two different consumer
segments – 40 plus and teenagers. The proposed plan represents the company's
new marketing strategy to carve a niche in the fast growing fruit juice
market.
Earlier,
Dabur Foods had launched Real Active (without sugar) which was targeted
at health-conscious, young executives.
Even
as Dabur Foods readies to tap new
segments, the company has plans to add two more flavours to the Real
portfolio by September-October 2003. The company now has eight juice
variants: orange, mango,
pineapple, grape, guava, mixed fruit,
tomato and litchi. Currently, orange and mango juices account for around
40
per cent of overall juice sales. Dabur Foods, which has brands Real,
Hommade, Lemoneez and Capsico, hopes to secure a
growth of around 25 per cent this financial
year.
Seafood
processing park at Aroor to be operational soon
The
seafood processing park at Aroor is expected to be operational by June
this year. The park is being set up jointly by the Kerala State and
the Central Government.
Marine
Products Export Development Authority under the Central Government and
the Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation
under the State Government, have equal stakes in the company – Marine
Products Infrastructure Development Corporation.
The
Rs 9.65 crore park would house 10 major seafood exporters including
Amalgam Group, HLL, Rubian Group, Seafood Exporters Association of India.
It would also have a Rs 1.5 crore state-of-the-art laboratory for testing
the exports for anti-biotic residues to comply with the US and EU norms.
There
would be a cluster of 10 pre-processing units, all catering to international
standards. The park would be able to produce 75 tonnes of seafood products
daily. About 2,000 women are expected to be employed at the park.
Dhara
ends contract with GCMMF, ties with Mother Dairy
Dhara
Vegetable Oils and Foods Corporation, a fully owned subsidiary of the
National Dairy Development Board, has terminated its contract with the
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation for the distribution of
the edible oil Dhara. It will now tie up with Mother Dairy to distribute
the brand.
DRDO’s
ready-to-eat meals to be available at super markets
The
ready-to-eat meals and instant curries developed by India's defence
scientists are now making their way to supermarket shelves. Defence
scientists developed many of the products so that balanced and nutritious
meals could be provided to soldiers deployed in areas like cold Siachen
or hot Rajasthan.
Developed
by the Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory and other units
of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the products
range from off-the-shelf chapatis to five-minute curries.
Some
products are reconstituted with cold or boiling water, while others
packed in metalled polyester packets simply have to be dipped in boiling
water before one can enjoy them.
Commercially
processed foods usually contain large amounts of preservatives, but
DFRL's technology does not use synthetic preservatives with harmful
side effects.
Mother
Dairy looking for greener pastures
Mother
Dairy is planning to expand its ice cream and other milk product business
and target other prospective markets. The cooperative, with a turnover
of
Rs
65 crore in the last year, expects to post a 25 per cent growth in the
current year from its ice cream business.
Mother
Dairy, which has recently launched 'Chillz' range of ice creams, has
now a chain of 1,000 exclusive retail booths and smartly designed pushcarts.
The
company is considering increasing the number of outlets to sell its
ice cream and other milk products in Delhi during the current year.
It is also eyeing the second-largest market in India, Mumbai.
Rasna
plans to set vending machines across India
Rasna
is planning to come up with a new retailing strategy 'Rasna Fountain'.
The plan is to tie up with leading institutions, retailers, canteens,
and shopping malls to promote the strategy.
It
has already entered into a tie-up with the Railways Catering Corporation
of India and is planning to soon tie up with Pantaloons, Shoppers' Stop,
and other leading retailers. The company is investing Rs 20 crore on
the new initiative, which includes setting up 10,000 vending machines
in canteens, railway stations, and airports across leading cities of
the country.
With
the new initiatives in place, the company expects to increase its turnover
by Rs 100 crore from the present level of Rs 224 crore. Besides, it
has set aside an ad budget of Rs 20 crore for the Rasna Fountain initiative
for 2003-04. Other initiatives of the company include serving ready-to-drink
items under the brand name ‘Rasna’ and launching sub-brands.
Protein-rich
concoction derived from fish scales
The
Kolkata State Government has come up with a soluble protein powder made
from fish scales. Labelled as a health drink it has a distinct 'fishy'
flavour and can be consumed with warm water or milk. It will be available
in stores soon.
The
drink has been developed by the department of food processing industries
and horticulture of the State Government in collaboration with the biotechnology
division of the department of chemical engineering at the Calcutta University.
It
took nearly three years for the department to develop the soluble powder,
which is being touted as having enough protein to meet the daily requirements
of the human body.
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