Imphal, October 22, 2021 (DIPR): Shri Thongam Biswajit Singh, Hon’ble Minister (Textiles, Commerce & Industry), Manipur accompanied by Shri P. Vaiphei, IAS, Principal Secretary (Textiles, Commerce & Industry), Manipur arrived at Paris, France to participate in the SIAL-2018 world food exhibition event at Paris, France today as part of the Indian Delegation led by Smt. Harsimrat Kaur, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Government of India.
SIAL-2018 is known to be the world’s largest exhibition of food processing sector and an event that offers wide experience on the latest developments in the sector which is a key area in the context of the efforts of the Department of Trade, Commerce & Industries which is making concerted efforts in convergence with Horticulture & Soil Conservation Department to tap the huge potentials of the State in its organic food products under the Central Government’s Kisan-SAMPADA initiatives which is to cover as many areas of the State as is feasible.
Shri Biswajit wants to take up the Food Processing Industry sector in Manipur with more government interventions, especially with the State’s good natural resources of agri-horticulture products. This will enable the State’s farmers and entrepreneurs to achieve economic sustenance and better livelihood on the one hand and prevent the wastages encountered due to lack of cold storages, food processing infrastructures, latest technologies and know-how, on the other hand.
The Minister also expressed desire for better economic utilisation of the State’s salubrious climate and very fertile soil to produce more agri-horticulture products based on more scientific and modern methods while focusing on the vast potentials of organic farming and availability of niche markets for organic agri-horticulture products. He further stressed on the far better quality of our natural fruits like pineapples, oranges, lemons, etc which are much higher in juice content and far better in taste than those found elsewhere.
Shri Biswajit also reiterated the huge potential of our famous U-Morok, which can capture a nice market as much as the State’s equally famous and exotic Chak-hao, which has gain tremendous popularity and preference to most of the visitors to the State.
Under the initiative of the Minister, the Department of Trade, Commerce & Industries has already started preparations for taking up natural salt production in Manipur which can provide salt with more health benefits at lower cost when compared to other renown brands that are hugely available in the markets in the State that are imported from outside.
He acknowledged the fund constraints of the department and has therefore considered funding sources from concerned Ministries at the Centre and also linkages with markets outside. In line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of sabke saath, sabke vikas and his focus on the farmers’ welfare through enhanced agriculture & horticulture produces alongwith their improved processing and marketing, our State could also take up this key sector in a way that would make it more economically viable and effective. (DIPR)