The Nagpur Orange Growers Association (Noga) has submitted a proposal to the Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC) for setting up a new factory at the food park in Butibori Industrial Estate. Tata Economic Consultancy Services has been appointed as consultant for the project. |
Two years ago, MAIDC had acquired three acres of land for setting up a tetra pack unit in the food park. The plan was, however, shelved as the company felt a standalone tetra pack project would not be economically feasible. |
"Our consultant is now studying the possibility of setting up an entirely new factory of NOGA in the area. Our plan is to set up the unit in the food park which is also a nil-octroi zone for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation," Pradip Vyas, managing director, MAIDC, said. |
"MAIDC is awaiting the Union Budget to see if any additional subsidy would be announced for industrial units in food parks, Vyas said. Several food processing units have shifted to states such as Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh which are offering excise duty waiver." he said. |
The last three years have been relatively good for Noga. It has a unit at Motibagh within the municipal limits of the city. In 2001-2002, Noga registered a turnover of Rs 4.80 crore which went up to Rs 5.14 crore in 2002-2003. In 2003-2004, the turnover touched Rs 5.80 crore and Rs 5.65 crore in 2004-05. |
Noga produces finished products such as ketchup, jams and juices from tomatoes, oranges, mangos and pineapples. The company was started by Central Hindustan Oranges and Cold Storage (CHOCS) in 1946. |
However, in 1956, it was taken over and re-modeled as a co-operative society. The society slipped into the red owing to mounting overheads. In 1972, the troubled unit was taken over by MAIDC. |
The brand Noga was, however, retained and has been eversince associated with good quality products. |
Noga supplies its products to the armed forces' canteen services department city's retail markets and hotels operating in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. It also exports to countries like Nepal and Dubai.
Pulp reality |