The mega food park of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) is getting ready at the Industrial Growth Centre (IGC), Pallippuram, near Cherthala, in Alappuzha district.
The KSIDC is developing the park with focus on the sea food processing sector. “It is a marine speciality food park, probably the first-of-its-kind project in India. Several major companies have acquired space in the park and the project is nearing completion. A couple of companies have started functioning in the park,” KSIDC general manager K.G. Ajithkumar told The Hindu.
Officials said the park would be made fully operational in March 2019. “We have allotted land to different seafood, food processing and allied units at the park. At present, 15 companies are setting up units in the park. Once completed, the park will house around 20 units,” said an official.
According to KSIDC officials, the park will be an ideal location for processing a variety of food products, particularly seafood products. It will give a major impetus to the seafood processing sector and boost export of seafood products from the State. The park will have modern facilities, including state-of-the-art cold storage facility and a waste water treatment plant.
Other than providing basic infrastructure facilities, including electricity, water and road, the KSIDC is also setting up pre-processing centres at Thoppumpady, Vypeen and Munambam. Two collection centres will be set up at Neendakara and Aroor.
The park is being set up on 65 acres of land at a total outlay of ₹130 crore, comprising equity contribution from the KSIDC/State government worth ₹70 crore, grant-in-aid of ₹50 crore from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) under the Mega Food Park Scheme, and a term loan of ₹10 crore.
Chennam-Pallippuram grama panchayat president P.R. Harikkuttan said the project would help to create more job opportunities and aid in development of the region.