Page 45 - ABFI March 19 issue

News

Round-up

‘Gram Samridhi Yojana in 2014-15 estimated that the
wastage of food produce stood
will create up to 1 lakh at approximately Rs. 1 lakh
crore a year. We believe we
entreprenuers in each State’ have enabled the creation of
agri-processing infrastructure
that has the capacity to process
and preserve 2.5 times more
he Food Processing The scheme aims to offer than that. To understand
TMinistry is awaiting the subsidies to small farmer more about the reduction Union Minister for Food Processing
Cabinet nod to roll out the producers’ organisations and in wastage, the Ministry Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Gram Samridhi Yojana, a new individual food processors, has commissioned a study farmers’ income. The last five
scheme which will benefit the which make very low capital to estimate the reduction in years has been dedicated to
unorganised and micro food investments and have poor wastage,” she added. injecting funds at the ground
processing sector. access to credit, to set up level, implementing these
The scheme, which will be food processing capacities, Scaling up capacities initiatives and monitoring
launched in collaboration with enhance and upgrade their Badal said the Ministry their implementation,” she
the World Bank, will initially existing capacities, enhancing has been focusing on scaling added.
be rolled out in four States – their performances and up infrastructure for food Replying to a query on the
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, strengthening the farm-to- processing and preservation ‘Operations Greens’ scheme,
Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. market supply chain. rapidly across States. For Badal said guidelines for the
instance, the Ministry expects scheme came in November and
New entrepreneurs Infra creation that nearly 22 Mega Food by February, the Ministry had
Food Processing Industry With the aim to work Parks and nearly 135 cold chain sanctioned three projects. The
Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal towards doubling farmers’ projects will be operational by scheme which was announced
said, “Talks were initiated with income, Badal said, the May-end. with an outlay of Rs. 500 crore,
the World Bank about two Ministry has been focusing “All our initiatives and is focussed on integrated
years ago to launch a funding on creating infrastructure schemes, including PM development of tomato, onion
scheme for the grassroot level. and enhancing processing Kisan Sampada Yojana, and potato (TOP) value chain.
We believe it will help create and preservation capacities development of mega food Meanwhile, the Ministry’s
70,000 to 1 lakh entrepreneurs to reduce wastage. It has parks, creation of backward proposal to set up a dedicated
who will focus on value commissioned a survey to and forward linkages, non-banking financial
addition in agro-processing in analyse the impact of various Operation Greens and now company to finance food
each State. It is expected to get schemes on reduction in the Gram Samridhi Yojana processing projects has not
a nod from the Cabinet soon.” wastage. “A study released are focussing on doubling materialised.

KFC owner defies China said Wat, a former manager
director at AS Watson Group
slowdown with AI menus, UK who has been the CEO of
Shanghai-based Yum China
robot servers for a year. “We are in 1,200
cities in China, which seems
like a lot, but there’s another
thousand cities in China with
merican fast food chain 30 years and sees potential no KFC. There’s huge space
AKFC’s owner in China is for over 11,000 more outlets, for growth.”
pushing ahead with expansion Chief Executive Officer Joey Yum China’s shares rose
plans, opening two stores a Wat said when in Shanghai. 1.6 per cent to $41.60 in New are more sophisticated and
day in the world’s biggest While the trade war York. They have jumped 24 diverse, retailers need to
consumer market and banking with the US and the slowest per cent this year. focus on the more segmented
on technology to cut costs, even economic growth since 1990 demand by offering various
as carmakers and industrial has companies like Caterpillar Robotic Servers options,” said Jason Yu,
companies signal deteriorating Inc, Volkswagen AG and The KFCs here take general manager of Shanghai-
demand. Apple Inc warning Chinese payment by facial recognition, based Kantar Wordpanel.
Yum China Holdings Inc., consumers are in retreat, ice cream is served by robotic Yum’s use of technology to
the nation’s biggest fast-food Wat remains upbeat on the arms and customers can target tech-savvy customers,
chain, which operates the outlook for fried chicken and control the background music mainly in top tier cities, is a
KFC and Pizza Hut brands, pan pizza. through their mobile phones strategy to lure business in the
is launching new restaurants “We believe the runway like a new-age jukebox. more mature markets.
at the second-fastest pace in for growth is very strong, “As Chinese customers

AgriBusiness & Food i ndustr y March 2019 45