Centre pressed for fragrance and flavour industries in state
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 16 2013: In a bid to include Manipur in the industrial map of the country as well as to provide employment facilities to the teeming educated unemployed youths in the state, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has pressed the Centre for setting up fragrance and flavour industries in the state.

According to a reliable source, the Chief Minister has sent a letter to Union Minister of State (Independent) for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) K.H.Muniyappa for setting up two industries to produce fragrance oil and food flavours from the varieties of local Houna plants like Citronella and Lemon Grass, Patchouli (which is similar to local plant Sambrei), Geranium plant (which is similar to a kind of Peruk found at Mao).

The Chief Minister has sent the request to the Union Minister after Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam talked with the Union Minister on the matter during which the latter hinted at the possibility of setting up such industries which are already in operation in Uttar Pradesh, the source disclosed.

Since the Union Minister himself had given the hint, there is high possibility of the Centre granting approval to setting up the industries in the state at the earliest, the source added.

In his letter to the Union Minister, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh pointed out that there is the constant need for bringing about development in the society as well as economic development in the state with the help of Agro based industries.

He also assured that the State would arrange all the necessary land for setting up the industries if the Ministry of MSME grants its approval in this regard.

Meanwhile, Principal Scientist, Dr H Birkumar of Branch Laboratory of North East Institute for Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat situated at Lamphelpat, has welcomed the initiatives taken up by the Chief Minister for setting up fragrance and flavour industries in the state.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Dr Birkumar said that Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and NEIST have been doing researches to develop the technology for increasing productivity of Citronella, Lemon Grass, Patchouli and Geramium as well as for producing fragrance and Phenyl from these locally available plants.

The Centre has provided two grinding machines for Citronella and Lemon Grass with capacity of 600 kg each to two farmers, one in Churachandpur and the other in Mao.

Now, locally Phenyl from the two plants can be seen in the market, the scientist informed.

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