At an interaction with food processing industry organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), he said if the industry or the State provides infrastructure, MoFPI’s R&D institute Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) would set up and run the food lab and bring it to international standards.

"We promise to establish a food lab here as long as we are provided with the infrastructure. However, for the time being, companies can use the food lab in IICPT, Tanjavur, which is the first R&D institute set up by MoFPI,” he said.

Incubation centre

For the incubation centre, MoFPI had proposed 10 centres on the lines of IICPT across the State. However, IICPT is the only institute as of now in the country.

"My offer to people here is that give us space and we will provide the equipment which can be rented by companies to conduct experiments, and have training facility for people working in food processing units," he said.

Kumar said that two National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management facilities were also going to be launched by September 2010 in Gurgaon and Kundli, near New Delhi. The institutes will provide courses that will enhance the skills of manpower on food processing industries.    

The food processing industries contribute 16-17 per cent to the national GDP and the growth rate is expected to be 20 per cent.