"Good Packaging Can Help Sell Rural Products of Odisha in Foreign Markets"

Bhubaneswar, July 13: A two-day workshop on packaging of food, handloom and handicraft products was inaugurated by Pradip Kumar Amat, Minister, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water in the State Capital on Thursday.

The major objective behind organising this two-day workshop is to enhance the knowledge of prevailing packaging options in the market and adopt suitable scientific packaging technologies for the rural products produced and manufactured by the Produces Groups and Companies.

ORMAS has developed 3,812 Producers Groups, 23 Producer Companies and 45 FPOs and Production Clusters under various schemes.

The products include food and spices, handloom and handicrafts. The role of good packaging material and equipments is important to increase the longevity and shelf life of products, indicate nutritional parameters by certifications including FSSAI.

Besides, packaging is important for retail, online marketing and export quality processing and value addition.

While addressing the participants, Amat said, “the two-day workshop by ORMAS is a welcome step. It will assist quality packaging of products made by various producer groups, companies and enhance retail, online and export sales, through quality testing and certification”.

Similary, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, CEO, ORMAS said, “the two-day workshop is an endeavour to learn new technologies in supply chain management, packaging development and certifications. We are also planning to set up packaging units in some districts to accelerate the process.”

Among others, Dr. Babu Rao Guduri, Joint Director, Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai, Dr. P.K. Roul, Vice-Chancellor, OUAT, Shri Satwik Swain, Secretary General, OASME, delegates from CFTRI, ICRISAT, CIPET-Balasore and CIMAP shall also present papers.

The two-day workshop was attended by CEOs of PGs, Business Managers and members from different groups. On this occasion an exhibition of packaging materials and equipment along with packaged food and spices from different districts was also organised.