VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the State has set a target to attract Rs 30,000 crore investments, and create three lakh jobs in the food processing sector over the next five years.
Speaking at the India Food Manufacturing Summit organised by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) in Visakhapatnam on Friday, Naidu said India is emerging as a global hub for food processing, and Andhra Pradesh already accounts for 9% of the country’s output, valued at $49 billion.
AP contributes 15.6% of India’s fruit production, earning it the sobriquet of ‘Fruit Capital of India’. “Andhra Pradesh also accounts for nearly 32% of the country’s seafood exports, with aquaculture covering 2.26 lakh acres. The State currently has about 6,000 registered food industries,” he highlighted.
Naidu further said Andhra Pradesh has a strong food processing ecosystem, with nine integrated food parks equipped with plug-and-play facilities, along with cold storage and warehousing infrastructure. The State is also a leading producer of rice, mango, banana, chilli, turmeric, fish, shrimp and eggs.
Andhra Pradesh has 8.45 million hectares of cultivable land, and contributes 17.85% of India’s egg production, and 10.41% of meat exports. “Our priority is to focus on value addition so that our products can compete in the global market,” he remarked.
The Chief Minister highlighted the State’s Food Processing Policy 4.0, which offers investment and power subsidies, and other incentives. He assured investors of speedy approvals through a single-window clearance system.
“Last year, Andhra Pradesh attracted Rs 9,000 crore investments in the agro-food processing sector alone,” he mentioned.
Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries Secretary Avinash Joshi commended Andhra Pradesh’s progress in the sector, and underlined the importance of reducing food wastage through value addition.
TPCI Chairman Mohit Singla announced the opening of the council’s southern regional office in Amaravati, citing Andhra Pradesh’s leadership in food processing.
State Industries Minister TG Bharath, Principal Secretary for Food Processing Chiranjeevi Chowdary, senior officials, and industry representatives were present.