HYDERABAD: In a major fillip to the food processing sector in the State, the Telangana government is planning to create special food processing zones in all 33 districts under the new food processing policy.
Special zones of at least 500 acres each are being planned in every district with logistics and warehousing support including export-oriented infrastructure, pollution mitigation measures, plug and play facilities for startups and MSMEs.
The Telangana food processing policy was approved with an objective of encouraging enterprises across 10,000 acres of special food processing zones. Under this, special incentives are approved for industries to be set up in the food processing zones with additional provisions for SCs, STs, minorities, women entrepreneurs and farmers groups.
In the past one year, several new investments were made in the State. Sub-sectors that saw most action in this space were dairy, beverages, animal feed, pet food and snack foods. A total of 60 new food processing industries with proposed investments of `2,309 crore and proposed employment of more than 20,000 personnel were granted by the State government.
Marquee brands
1) Amul’s new plant will be set up in a special food processing zone with an investment of `300 crore to manufacture dairy products.
2) Mars Petcare is planning to invest `500 crore in the State to triple its capacity. The project will link supply chains to State producers in cereals, fisheries and poultry. 3) Fishin’ Company will set up a fully integrated freshwater fish culture ecosystem including hatcheries, feed manufacturing, cage culture, processing and exports at Mid-Manair reservoir in Rajanna Sircilla.
4) Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages is establishing a new `1,000-crore plant. This factory to be set up at Banda Thimmapur Food Processing Park, Siddipet, will be their second in the State.