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Our Correspondent
Kukidolong, Aug. 24 (EMN): In what will help bridge the gap between farmers’ produce and value addition to products, a ‘micro-food production centre’ was inaugurated at New Chümoukedima (Kukidolong) on Wednesday.
The shared production centre was inaugurated by V Satya Venkata Rao, Deputy Managing Director of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Lucknow.
It is initiated by The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) and supported by the SIDBI as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Speaking at the event, Rao said that SIDBI is committed to the promotion and development of micro-enterprises, nurturing enterprises, making them stand up, grow and transform them into a large enterprise over a period of time.
To facilitate and reach out to micro-enterprises, particularly in the Northeast, SIDBI has set up its eastern zonal office, he said.
‘All things begin with small steps and what has started today has the potential to transform into any kind of success in the future,’ he said while appreciating tEA for its commitment towards the farmers’ community. He also assured to reach out to small enterprises in the region and take it forward in the years to come.
Chief Executive Officer of tEA, Neichute Doulo, said the shared production centre is one of the long-term plans of tEA emerging from its works with the farmers and communities across Nagaland and Manipur.
'The centre will bridge the gap between farmers' produce and the value addition of the products, while also minimizing wastage. It also hopes to serve the needs of communities through its mini-machineries,' he said.
‘The tEA is already experimenting with food products such as jams, pickles, candies and dried spices in its experimental food laboratory in Kohima. On this aspect, the newly launched centre will become a full-fledged micro food processing unit and trigger many food processing industries to come up in Nagaland,’ he added.
Pineapple and turmeric growers from Razaphema and Bade villages attended the inaugural function, which was chaired by Advisor of agri-business (turmeric), tEA, Khosato Keyho.