The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organising 'Made in Kerala', a conference and exposition on value-added agriculture and food processing on 29 March in Kochi.
Addressing a press conference here today, Shivdas B Menon, chairman, Made in Kerala, and managing director, Sterling Farm Research and Services, said value-added agriculture and food processing were being regarded as sun-rise sector of Kerala economy.
Kerala holds a prominent share in the production of a number of agricultural commodities of national importance in view of their potential for exports or import substitution. The loss of agricultural produces after harvest was alarmingly high and estimated as 30 per cent in the case of fruits and vegetables.
He said as an initial step, the CII along with the state Government took a 10-member delegation from the food processing industry to Sri Lanka last week.
The focus was on coconut products, hi-tech agriculture and value-added vegetables.
Addressing a press conference here today, Shivdas B Menon, chairman, Made in Kerala, and managing director, Sterling Farm Research and Services, said value-added agriculture and food processing were being regarded as sun-rise sector of Kerala economy.
Kerala holds a prominent share in the production of a number of agricultural commodities of national importance in view of their potential for exports or import substitution. The loss of agricultural produces after harvest was alarmingly high and estimated as 30 per cent in the case of fruits and vegetables.
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In the case of certain fruits like jack, papaya, cashew apple, the loss is almost 90 per cent. A strong and effective agro-processing sector could play a key role in reducing such losses and quality deteriorations by utilising the agricultural produces for the production of value-added products, he pointed out.
He said as an initial step, the CII along with the state Government took a 10-member delegation from the food processing industry to Sri Lanka last week.
The focus was on coconut products, hi-tech agriculture and value-added vegetables.