Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 24 : Madhya Pradesh has significant potential in the food processing sector, especially in unexplored crops, according to Piruz Khambatta, Chairman of the Rasna Group.
He emphasized the need to identify the right crops and add value to them to boost food processing in the state.
Speaking on the opportunities in MP and across India, Khambatta stated, "I think the biggest potential of MP is that it has a lot of unexplored crops. If we can identify the right crops, add value, and leverage the availability of skilled labor, food processing will thrive. Youth here are looking for jobs, and globally, it is often challenging to find the right people. The combination of skilled manpower and suitable crops is what food processing is all about. So we are exploring both and how we can make more value added products from the state "
He highlighted that Rasna is actively exploring how to develop more value-added products from the state. The company is particularly interested in citrus crops like oranges and other varieties, along with spices.
"We are definitely seeing the possibilities of getting certain varieties of citrus crops like orange and then processing it. We are also looking at spices. We were the first people to launch a masala orange.," he said.
Khambatta mentioned that while no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed yet, Rasna is contemplating setting up units in MP. He also pointed to Bihar's successful identification of Makhana as a key crop, which has now gained global recognition.
"Every state needs to identify a hero crop. MP, too, must find its key agricultural product that can drive growth in food processing," he noted.
On Rasna's global expansion, he shared that the company is currently exporting to 50 countries and sees tremendous growth opportunities both in India and internationally.
"The world is moving towards organic products with no chemicals or synthetics. We have launched products free from artificial colors and flavors to meet this demand. People are willing to pay a premium for organic products. Our goal is to expand our presence from 50 countries to 100," he stated.
As MP explores its key crop for value addition, stakeholders see immense opportunities in developing the state's food processing industry further.
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