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The Minister for Food Processing Industries, Mr Subodh Kant Sahai, addressing a press conference in Kochi on Friday along with the Kerala Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Adoor Prakash. - H. Vibhu

Kochi , Nov. 26

THE Union Ministry of Food Processing is planning to introduce an integrated food law with a view to implementing "one law and one regulatory authority" in the country, Mr Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Minister for Food Processing and Industries, has said.

Currently, there are about 15 food adulteration laws in the country and several adulteration cases were pending in various courts, including the Supreme Court.

With the promulgation of a single law, the Ministry could focus on several issues in the food-processing sector in the long run, he said at a press meet here.

The new law would cover issues on quality, adulteration and punishment.

A committee consisting of a group of ministers has been constituted to submit the proposed law, which is expected to come up in Parliament session in March next year.

The integrated food law would really match to the international required standards, Mr Sahai said.

The Minister also announced setting up of an Indigenous Food Research Institute in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala with an investment of Rs 100 crore.

The institute would be a regional research centre for the whole of south India.

The Kerala Government would provide 100 acres of land belonging to the Kerala Agriculture University at Konny for the institute to house research centre, training centre, ethnic food museum, food park etc.

The Minister said his Ministry was also interacting with various state Governments to boost contract farming to get better returns for the farmers.

Mr Sahai, who was here to inaugurate the seafood park at Aroor near Kochi, said the park was a unique project executed as a part of the mission of the Commerce Ministry and the seafood industry to upgrade the quality of Indian seafood pre-processing facilities to international standards.

It is a private-cum-public partnership with equity participation from 10 Kerala exporters, the State Government, MPEDA and grant in aid provided by the Food Processing Ministry.

The exporters have contributed 74 per cent share capital and 26 per cent by the Kerala Government and the Commerce Ministry through the Marine Products Infrastructure Development Corporation (MIDCON), a company promoted to implement infrastructure projects for the seafood industry in the State.

The project was the first of its kind in the country and the objective of the Ministry was to create such model pre-processing facilities in all the major seafood processing centres along the East and West coasts of India, he added.

More Stories on : Agricultural Policy | Foods & Food Processing

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