Perishable food complex at airport soon

The state government is planning a perishable goods cargo handling facility at the Kolkata Airport.

This handling facility is expected to provide a fillip to trade in agro products and agri-business from the eastern part of the country. The state government has identified agri-business as a major thrust area and has initiated a programme to attract investments to the sector.

"Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority has already sanctioned funds for the new cargo centre in Airport. The West Bengal State Food Processing and Horticulture Development Corporation will be operating refrigerated vans to support it," minister for food processing and horticulture Sailen Sarkar said on Thursday.

He was speaking at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce organised seminar on 'Emerging trends in processed food and beverages'.

US consul general George N Sibley who was also present at the seminar said that India should open up its agricultural sector and that the government should allow contract farming in the country. Contract farming would pave the way for an enhanced growth in the agribusiness sector in India.

This was also expected to attract foreign investment in the state. Contract firming has however received flak from political parties including the ruling Left Front in West Bengal.

The consul-general also said that US based companies were keen on investing in the eastern part of the country.

The state has also initiated talks with a Philippine based company to invest in the food processing sector in the region.

Although state government officials refused to divulge the entity's name, they said that talks had made some progress and the government had received positive response from the foreign company.