FFDC Tech centre to be opened shortly
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, August 27 2016 : The State is all set to open FFDC (Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre) at Food Park, Nilakuthi in Imphal East.

A technology centre for FFDC was inaugurated jointly by Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India and O Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister, Manipur on April 9 this year.

The State Government allotted 5 acre of lands for the centre at Food Park, Nilakuthi in Imphal East District on lease to MSME-DI, Imphal.

Proposed infrastructures for the centre include administrative building, quality asses- sment laboratory, processing and valuation of essential oils, training and hostel, library, aromatic gardens, etc.

The World Bank has agreed to finance the project.

In addition, an area of 30 acres of land has been acquired at Ningthoukhong Awang in Bishnupur District for cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants.

The area will also serve as the demonstration/training and oil distillation units.

In order to develop manpower for carrying on the above activities, 25 fresh post graduate students have been selected through campus recruitment from different academic institutions like the Central Agriculture University, Manipur University and National Institute of Technology.

These are in addition to the 36 persons trained earlier from each district as Master Trainers at FFDC, Kannauj.

The 25 freshly selected students have also completed six months training programme at the Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj.

The technology centre is likely to be named i-CAMP (Imphal Centre for Aromatic & Medicinal Plant Processing) .

In another major initiative, M/S Manipur Food Industries Corporation Ltd (MFICL), an undertaking of Commerce and Industries Department, Manipur has worked out a model wherein farmers will grow medicinal and aromatic plants on their land with financial assistance from banks.

The planting material for the purpose will be supplied by MFICL with a buy back policy.

For processing and value addition, Livelihood Business Incubators have been established in every District Industries centre.

To facilitate supply of planting materials, Gene Bank has been developed at Chothe village in Bishnupur district.

MFICL is targeting a total area of 5000 acre in the first phase all over the State for plantation of medicinal and aromatic plants, more particularly stevia, lemona grass, ginger and turmeric and aims to generate employment for atleast 2000 persons on a sustainable basis.

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