Friday, September 18, 2009

State invites financial bids for setting up five food parks

Source: Deccan Herald

With Global Investors Meet round the corner, the move could not have been initiated at a more appropriate moment. While those undertaken under Union Ministry of Food Industries’ initiative have no choice but to languish awaiting Centre’s benevolence, the State government is focusing on five new districts to carry forward its intent in right earnest.

In pursuance of this, the government, through Food Karnataka Limited (FKL), has called for request for proposal and submission of financial bids for setting up food parks in Belgaum, Bijapur, Davangere, Shimoga and Tumkur from prospective private players.

Common infrastructure

Official sources told Deccan Herald that these will form anchors in their respective districts to attract food processing industries to set up shop there. FKL, they said, will be engaged in facilitating acquisition of land. To be undertaken under public-private-partnership (PPP) model, these are to be implemented in two years time with all infrastructure and common facilities in place, they added.

The successful bidder is expected to put up necessary infrastructure and common facilities and market plots to industries engaged in food processing sector, sources said. The developer, they added, will also be responsible for maintenance and management of the park by forming a special purpose vehicle involving all stakeholders.

Furthermore, sources said, the developer/s, will be free to adopt his/their own strategy for pricing of plots, rentals and maintenance charges. The plots, they observed, could either be sold or leased to food processing players.

The Belgaum food park will come up on a 100 acre land, at an estimated cost of Rs 44.70 crore. It will engage in attracting processing activities of various types of fruits,  vegetables for products like squashes & syrups, fruit bar, jams and jellies, banana powder, potato flakes & powder, ready-toi-eat curried vegetables, ketch-up and pickles among other items.  The Bijapur food park will come up on a 80 acre plot, at an estimated cost of Rs 23.84 crore. It will promote wine production, processing of fruits such as pomegranate, mango, citrus, papaya et al.

The Davengere food park, to be located at Telgi Village, Harappanahalli Taluk, will come up on a 100 acre plot and is aimed rice and maize crops besides banana fruit.

Likewise, the Shimoga facility would come up at Sagane Village Nidhige Hobli, on a 100 acre plot. The cost of the two parks would be around Rs 60 crore and Rs 30 crore respectively.  The Shimoga Park would be catering to those interested in processing fruits, vegetables and spices like ginger.

The Tumkur Food Park to be developed at a cost of Rs 60 crore on a 100 acre plot will come up Vasanth Narasarapura, located near National Highway 4 and near the Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. It will cater to groundnut, coconut, ginger, gherkin etc.

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