PFFP, which plans to set up 36 wholesale markets for fruits and vegetables in the country with an investment of Rs 100 crore each, is holding talks with the Australian major for a possible JV in some of the projects, sources said.
Sydney Market handles fruits and vegetables worth three billion dollar annually and about 100 million dollars of fruits and vegetables are exported through its markets annually.
Promoted by Jyotsna Suri, wife of late Lalit Suri of Bharat Hotels, PFFP has tied up with Paris-based Rungis Market International for some of its wholesale market project and it plans to rope in some more partners, including Sydney Market to take advantage of their expertise, they added.
PFFP is one of the few agri-business firms in the country that have shown interest to set up markets in the private sector. Others who have bidded for the terminal markets in states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu include Jain Irrigation and retail chain Subhiksha, sources said.
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PFFP was originally set up four years ago as a commodity trading company dealing with export of fruits and vegetables, but now it is focusing on only setting up the private mandis.
Under the Rs 18,000 crore-National Horticulture Mission, the Centre is providing 25 per cent subsidy to private sector for setting up state-of-the-art wholesale market. It offers equity participation based on Public-Private-Partnership model in the terminal market scheme.
PFFP has received approval of the Agriculture Ministry for its four projects at Hassan, Belgaum, Mysore and Kolar in Karnataka, though it has got licenses for 16 market projects in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Punjab.