Food parks to come up in Vizianagaram, Srikakulam.

VIZIANAGARAM will get two integrated food parks, while a mega food park will come up in Srikakulam, secretary (Mines and Geology and Food Processing) M Girija Shankar announced recently.

He was speaking at a seminar on food processing units with a number of entrepreneurs, organised by the state government and AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Girija Shankar said that in one of the food parks at Vizianagaram, the government would give a priority to women entrepreneurs, allotting 75 per cent of jobs to women. He also said that the park would include processing units for vegetables, fruits and other major foods from North Andhra, including cashew-nuts.

According to the officials, apart from both the integrated food parks, a coconut processing unit will also be set up at Vizianagaram. “North Andhra region is also a major producer of coconuts and without making use of it, they are just exporting them. The proposed coconut processing unit will process two lakh coconuts per day, which can produce 12 varieties of products. The integrated food parks will be set on around 30 acre each, with an investment of `100 crore,” said YS Prasad, the CEO of AP Food Processing Society.

In another development, a mega food park is being planned in Srikakulam district. Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) will set up the mega food park with the help of the government. The authorities said that another food park for aqua-based products is under process in Srikakulam. The investment for the three proposals would be around `350 crore, and each park will provide employment to a minimum of 2,500 persons. An integrated food park will be on 30 acres, with minimum 10 food processing units, while a mega food park will be on 50 acre, with minimum 20 food processing units.

Girija Shankar said there were proposals to set up more cold storages in north Andhra. There is a need of “Big Basket” like semi-processing units, which can deliver consumers fresh vegetables directly from the farmer. Farmers will not incur any loss, he said.

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