Himachal invites private funds for food processing

Shimla, June 12 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh is inviting private investments in the food processing industry, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Tuesday.

"The state has identified food processing as the thrust area and is exploring possibilities in motivating entrepreneurs to set up fruit-based units," Dhumal said at a function organised by the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association in Solan district.

He said there was scope for large-scale production of fruit-based value added products in the state.

The chief minister said 79 percent of the industrial investment in the state had been made in Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt.

"Finished goods worth Rs.1,701 crore have been exported from BBN industrial area in 2011-12," he said.

The hill state saw investment worth Rs.12,560 crore in medium and small industrial units in the past four years.