FDI flows into food processing sector

Over Rs 2400 crore foreign investment has flown into food processing sector during the last five years.

Over Rs 2400 crore foreign investment has flown into food processing sector during the last five years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

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"The total foreign investment inflows in the food processing sector during the last five years (2000-01 to 2006-07 till September 2006) is Rs 2,428.77 crore," Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahai said in a written reply.

The highest amount of Rs 1036.12 crore came in 2001-02 while this fiscal only Rs 150.12 crore had come. Maharashtra received the highest share of FDI during the last five years at Rs 344.04 crore.

Milk and dairy industries received FDI worth Rs 277.04 crore while consumer industries got Rs 274.90 crore as foreign investment, he said.

Earlier replying to supplementaries, the minister said there were 929 factories in the food processing sector in the northeast. Of these, 833 were in operation.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development MA Fatmi said "no decision has been taken regarding opening of new Kendriya Vidyalayas during the 11th Five-Year Plan."

During the past two years, 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas have been opened in special focus districts which have high concentration of minority and SC/ST population.

New Kendriya Vidyalayas will first come up in special focus districts, he said.