“Food Processing Industry should get same status as infrastructure industry” said Mr.  Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Government of India, at an Interactive Session organised by PHD Chamber in the capital today.

Mr. Sahai further asked for eight years complete tax holiday and he would forward it to the Finance Ministry for inclusion in the forthcoming general budget.

Mr. Sahai also wanted VAT to be between 0 to 4% for the Food Processing industry for perishable and non perishable goods respectively.   The Food processing industry is very important as growth of rural areas greatly depends on agriculture which employs about 80% of the population and shows no retrenchment.

“A hundred fold developments will take place in the Food Processing industry not just the quantum jump with the right incentives”, said Mr. Sahai.   The minister was keen on having 100 days agenda in place as a road map for the next five years. ]

To take care of food security, value addition will lead to market driven farming which will further lead to cluster farming and will economically help the farmer.

On answering a query, Mr. Sahai said that the Food Processing industry was ready to play role model for the food processing industry as other players in this sector were SMEs.

Mr. Satish Bagrodia, President, PHD Chamber said that value addition  is required with backward and forward linkages to earn foreign exchange and to ensure growth of this industry.

Mr. N M Kejriwal, Chairman, Agribusiness Committee, PHD Chamber asked for the uniform VAT for whole food processing industry.. 

Anjula Singh Solanky
Dy. Secretary-Media Relations
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry