The State’s first mega food park began functioning here on Thursday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Narendra Singh Tomar jointly inaugurated the Kinfra Mega Food Park.
The Chief Minister said that the project would speed up the State’s development in the food processing sector. He said it would bring about a renewed verve to the agriculture sector in the State.
The food park would provide several concessions to entrepreneurs. Apart from a Central grant and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) loan, 35% of the investment would be given as grant.
Around 50 units are expected to operate in the food park.
Land was allotted for 30 units already, and two units have begun functioning. Eleven units are under construction.
Farmers to benefit
Minister for Industries E.P. Jayarajan presided. District panchayat members Nitin Kanichery and K. Chinna Swamy and several local body heads took part in the programme held at Kinfra here. Officials said more than two lakh farmers would benefit from the mega food park, which would strengthen the agriculture and industrial sectors. The park had begun its work in June 2017 and could complete the construction within the stipulated time.
The park in 79.42 acres of land costs ₹102.13 crore. The Centre gave ₹40 crore in grant, and the rest was met by the State government.
Officials said more than 4,000 people would get jobs directly and nearly 10,000 people indirectly at the food park.