Diploma courses on packaging will also be offered at the food processing institute being built in Doiwala, Dehradun. The State Agriculture, Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that at a national workshop on packaging of fresh and processed foods for cottage, small, micro and medium enterprises organised by the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) here on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, Rawat said that considering the high demand for packaging, diploma course at the food processing institute coming up in Doiwala will help the youth gain vocational skills.
The importance of good packaging cannot be ignored as it considerably increases the shelf life of the product, makes it appear more attractive to the consumer, enhances the value of the product which in turn helps increase the sales. The Minister also acknowledged the need for work in this sphere in State.
Speaking on the occasion, the IIP director NC Saha informed that after its formation in 1966 as an autonomous body in the field of packaging working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with its headquarter and principal laboratories in Mumbai, the institute set up its branches at Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad.
The main objective of the institute is to promote the export market through innovative package design and development in addition to upgrading the overall standards of packaging in the country.
The institute is involved in varied activities including testing and evaluation of packaging materials and packages, consultancy services along with research and development related to packaging.
Other speakers pointed out that the Indian packaging industry is presently growing at an annual rate of 15 per cent as compared to 5-6 per cent growth of the global packaging industry.
This has also created a great demand for packaging professionals in the Indian packaging industry. Representatives of the institute, State Government and Industries Association of Uttarakhand were also among those present on the occasion.