Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Appreciated Achievements of CIPHET
05 July 2014, Ludhiana
Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, visited the Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) today to review the progress achieved by the CIPHET in the project ‘Assessment of Post Harvest Losses of Major Crops and Livestock Produce in India’, a project sponsored by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Expressing her concern over the substantial post harvest losses in the country, the Minister advised CIPHET to collaborate with Punjab Agricultural University, GADVASU and Punjab State Government in popularizing the loss reduction technologies developed by the institute and State Agricultural Universities.
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The Minister also visited the Agro Processing Centre of the institute and witnessed the pilot plant demonstration of milk production from groundnut. She also interacted with the entrepreneurs trained by the institute. She took keen interest in the products displayed by the entrepreneurs such as soybean milk and tofu, groundnut milk, amla candy, fruits and vegetable based pickles, rose water, multi grain flour, etc. She applauded the efforts of the entrepreneurs and also the CIPHET who gave them training and helped in establishing their venture. She also emphasized that appropriate platform to the entrepreneurs for marketing and popularizing their products may be provided.
Dr. R.K. Gupta, Director, CIPHET informed that CIPHET had already conducted the benchmark survey under the leadership of Dr. S.K. Nanda, Former Project Coordinator of AICRP-PHT on quantitative post harvest losses in India and brought out its results during the last Plan. He explained the progress in this repeat study on the post harvest losses. Dr. Gupta also briefed the Minister about the significant achievements of CIPHET in recent years including litchi peeling machine, custard apple pulper, groundnut milk, etc.
(Source: CIPHET, Ludhiana)