CM inaugurates buyer-seller meet

IMPHAL, Feb 24 (DIPR)
Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated a Conference cum Buyer Seller Meet at Hotel Imphal, North AOC today. The meet was organized by Manipur Food Industries Corporation Limited, Department of Textiles, Commerce and Industry, Government of Manipur.
Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, N Biren Singh said that the State Government had been putting in tireless efforts to make Manipur a self reliant State under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self reliant India).
Stressing that the fruits and vegetables produced in the State are ‘more nutritious’ and are of different taste, he stated that the State Government had started exporting black rice and other horticulture products in recent years.
He added that an outlet for organic products has been opened at Pune and the Central Government is planning to open such outlets in other metropolitan cities too. This would not only provide better returns to farmers and entrepreneurs but also provide employment opportunities. He also stated that the Government is trying to make Manipur an organic State by avoiding usage of chemical fertilizers and encouraging use of compost made of phumdis (biomass) of Loktak Lake.
Appreciating Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for supporting the State Government in organizing the conference cum buyer seller meet, he said that such programmes would provide a platform for interaction between local entrepreneurs and potential buyers thereby increasing their exposure. This will also strengthen the Government’s aim of achieving self reliance, he added.
N Biren further said that the Government, considering the hardship faced by farmers due to shortage of water, has taken up certain projects to ensure adequate supply of water for agricultural activities.
Delivering his presidential speech, Commerce and Industries Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh informed that the Department of Textiles, Commerce and Industry is setting up a Mega Food Park which will house a 2000 MT capacity cold storage, 5000 MT warehouse, workshed and other facilities. In addition, 100 MT cold storages and 500 MT warehouses would be constructed in eight districts for primary processing of raw materials.
He further stated that a Food Testing and Research Laboratory would be set up in the State under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. The laboratory would enable testing of food products of the State which were earlier sent to different States like Delhi, Kolkata and Karnataka for testing, he added.
The Minister also informed that a Ready to Serve (RTS) Juice Line with Aseptic Bricks Filling (Tetra Pak) has also been set up at Nilakuthi Food Park.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also launched the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) Scheme. The scheme aims to provide financial, technical and business support to micro food processing units, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Self Help Groups (SHGs). The scheme will also promote One District One Product to reap the benefit of scales in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products.
The inaugural programme was also attended by Additional Chief Secretary P Vaiphei, Commissioner RK Dinesh, Assistant General Manager, APEDA Sunita Rai, Government officials, farmers and potential buyers.