The Secretary of the North Eastern Council, Mr P H Trivedi has strongly pleaded for the string up of a Regional Office for F.P.O. (Fruit Processing Order) for the North-Eastern Region with a view to removing the difficulties experienced by the manufacturers of the North-Eastern Region and thus to promote industrial development in the region.
Mr Trivedi in his letter addressed recently to the Secretary to the Department of Food and Civil Supplies. Government of India, referred to the delay in obtaining Fruit Processing Order Certificates by the exporters from the North-Eastern Region because of the location of the F.P.O. Office at Calcutta.
The NEC Secretary also mentioned in his letter how the NEC had been exploring possibilities of increasing the volume of export of processed fruit products from the North-Eastern Region for which there is great potential. He also mentioned that the NERAMAC (North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation) has recently executed export orders of Processed fruit product to the tune of 370 tonnes valued at Rs. 30.50 lakhs and it has now offers for export of about 1200 tonnes worth Rs. 1.20 crores. Meanwhile, the Secretary Food and Civil Supplies Govt. of India, Mr N.K.S. Jhala, has informed the NEC Secretary that a Senior inspecting Officer will be posted at Gauhati on year to year basis during the seasons. The NERAMAC has accordingly been asked to provide space within its office as well as secretarial assistance for the inspecting officer.