Rs 18cr food park coming up near Kakinada

The proposed Food Park will be commissioned in August 2006

Rajahmundry-based M S Chowdary Agro Informatics Private Limited is planning to set up a Food Park on the ADB Road between Rajahmundry and Kakinada at an investment of Rs 18 crore. The park would come up on a sprawling 37-acre land with close proximity to Kakinada port and the Rajahmundry airport.

Project director M V S Ramu told Business Standard that the park, being set up under the private sector at a cost Rs 18 crore, was the first of its kind in the region. All infrastructural facilities were being created for those interested in setting up export-oriented food processing units.

The company would raise Rs 400 lakh through equity. While the State Bank of Hyderabad had come forward to give a term loan of Rs 750 lakh, the Centre would grant Rs 586 lakh for the project, which would be commissioned in August 2006, he said.

The proposed Food Park, coming up in the special economic zone at Surampalem village, would have infrastructural facilities on par with global standards.

The central and the state governments, as part of their industrial policies, would provide all help in tune with their special thrust on food processing units. "The park is being planned to cater to the needs of agro and food processing industry," he said.

The salient features of the park include 43 plots with bituminous roads, 5MVA sub-station, well-planned public utility facilities, effluent treatment plants, 40 mt weigh bridge, 5,000 mt multi-chambered cold-storage facilities, 15,000 sq ft warehouses, quality control laboratory and research station. Besides, the park would have adequate greenery, police station, guesthouse and restaurants.

Bank loan facilities would also be made available in the park. Value-added facilities would include single window clearance, training facility, business centre, conference hall, agriculture and horticulture advisory services, said Ramu.

The project director said they were receiving overwhelming response from potential industrialists from within the country and from London and other countries.

As many as 20 entities have offered to use the Food Park facilities for setting up export food processing units. Fish and meat processing, fruit beverages, milk-based products and edible oil refineries are some of the units that would come up in the park.