A recent survey led by Manjari Desai, associate director, the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), revealed that most of Pune's food processing industries are indifferent to cold chain facilities and a majority of them don't have quality certification.
The industries were divided into sectors like sweet products, milk products, ice-cream, farsans and namkeens, bakery products, dry fruits, fruits and vegetables, flour, dal, spices, papad, chutney, pickles, mineral water and others.
The survey was based on such factors as procurements of raw materials, technology used, quality control, financing and marketing. Inferences were drawn on the basis of the respondents' answers, and the data was maintained by MCCIA, the industries ministry and other bodies.
Speaking to FnB News, Desai said, “We tried to survey as many as people associated with the food processing industry, but only 50 per cent of the respondents answered the question on usage of cold chain transportation for perishable commodities.”
“Although this was understandable for sectors like dal, spices, papad and others, respondents from sectors like milk, milk products, ice-cream, fruit and vegetables, where cold chain transportation is of utmost importance, also refused to anwer the query,” she said.
Desai added, “Of the 50 per cent who replied to this query, only 15 per cent had cold chain facilities. Interestingly, 47.6 per cent of the respondents in the farsan and namkeen sector replied in affirmative to existence and usage of cold chain in their units, while 26.3 per cent in the fruits and vegetables sector, and 20.8 per cent in milk and milk products industry stated they had cold chains. Most food processing units were unaware of the impotance of cold chains for their segments.”
“The sweet products industry in Pune region seems to be functioning without certification of any kind. About 68.5 per cent of the respondents from the milk, milk products and ice-cream sector did not have any certification, and 92.5 per cent respondents from the farsan and namkeen sector did not have any quality certification,” Desai informed.
Anant Sardeshmukh, director general, MCCIA, said, “Where 100 per cent quality certification is more of a norm, no sector had any major certifications. The food processing industry is in a nascent stage, and proper infusion of technology and government aid would help it realise its full potential.”
