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Food processing units in Pune start operation with minimum capacity
We want all the big, medium and small scale industries to start operating. The state government will provide them with all necessary help, says Naval Kishore Ram, district collector
Food processing units in the city started operations in Katraj and Ambegaon with minimum capacity after the government eased curbs, according to officials.
The food processing units include ice cream, spice, carry bag, gas chimney, soap and chikki manufacturers.
Naval Kishore Ram, district collector, said, “We want all the big, medium and small scale industries to start operating. The state government will provide them with all necessary help.”
Sanjay Shirsath, manager of A1 spices, said, “ We are into manufacturing coriander and turmeric powder. We have got all the requisite permissions and we operate between 9am and 5pm.”
“Currently, we are working only with 20 per cent of our strength and expect our staff strength to grow in the next few months. The Covid-19 crisis has hurt us badly and the revenues have fallen flat. We expect the government to provide us with the necessary support like financial packages and other amenities, so that we don’t end up being sick units in the future,” he said.
Ambalal Chaudhary of Shree Samartha Ice Cream Factory in Katraj, said, “The Covid-19 crisis and lockdown has led to the downfall of revenue earnings as we were shut during the summer season which is the peak season for business. However, there is a demand from the market now and we are catering to it.”
“More than fifty per cent of the staff have stopped coming to work citing the dangers of the contagion,” he said.
Paras Bhagat, detergent and soap manufacturer, said, “We have been sustaining losses from the last forty days as the entire manufacturing has been shut. Now, restoring the supply chain is a tedious task, but we are confident that business will become stable in the long term future,” he said.
According to officials industries like fabrication units, refrigeration, plastic moulding, display counters, powder coating, corrugated boxes, agarbatti manufacturers and furniture are still closed.
