Lok Sabha Question No. 436 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Radiation Processing Technology
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Pritam Gopinath Munde, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *436

ANSWERED ON 23 RD  JULY, 2019

## RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

## *436.  DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether the Government proposes to adopt radiation processing technology developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for preservation and conservation of fruits and vegetables including onions, potatoes and tomatoes to address the issue of supply side shortage that often results in price rise and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has undertaken any study regarding safety concerns related to the radiation processing technology and if so, the outcome thereof;
- (c) the  places  identified  for  setting  up  of  radiation  processing  plants  in  the  country including Maharashtra;
- (d) the expenditure likely to be incurred thereon; and
- (e) the time by which these radiation plants are likely to be set up?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL)

(a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO. *436 FOR ANSWERED  ON  23 RD JULY, 2019 REGARDING RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY.

- (a): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, amended the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules (1954) in 1994, permitting irradiation of onion, potato and spices for internal marketing and  consumption  in  India.  Subsequently,  a  number  of  other  food  items  were  permitted  for radiation  processing. Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  (MoFPI)  is  implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), under which financial assistance is given for setting up of the food-processing infrastructure, including irradiation facility.

- (b): Taking  into  account  studies  undertaken  by  World  Health  Organisation,  Food  & Agricultural  Organisation  and  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency,  Food  Safety  and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has endorsed the safety of this technology.

- (c): As informed by BARC, there are 16 irradiation plants operational as on date and another 8 plants will be functional in the year 2019-2020. (Annexure-I).

- (d): As informed by BARC, the estimated cost of setting up a commercial irradiation facility comes in the range of Rs. 15-20 crores excluding land cost.

- (e): As  informed  by  BARC,  in  the  year  2019-2020,  8  new  plants  are  expected  to  be functional.

*****

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *436  FOR  ANSWERED  ON  23 RD   JULY,  2019  REGARDING RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

## Radiation processing plants in India are as follows:

|   S. No. | Name of the Plant                                                     | Purpose                            |   Commissioning Year |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------------------|
|        1 | Radiation Processing Plant, BRIT, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400075         | Food and allied products           |                 2000 |
|        2 | KRUSHAK Irradiator, Lasalgaon, Nashik - 411037, Maharashtra           | Food Products                      |                 2002 |
|        3 | M/S Organic Green Foods Ltd., Dankuni, Kolkata, West Bengal           | Food, Packaging & Medical Products |                 2004 |
|        4 | M/S A.V. Processors Pvt. Ltd., Ambernath (E), Thane, Maharashtra      | Food &Medical Products             |                 2005 |
|        5 | M/S Universal Medicap Ltd., Vadodara, Gujarat                         | Food &Medical Products             |                 2005 |
|        6 | M/S. Microtrol, Bangalore, Karnataka                                  | Food &Medical Products             |                 2006 |
|        7 | M/S Agrosurg Irradiators, Vasai, Thane, Maharashtra                   | Food, Packaging & Medical Products |                 2008 |
|        8 | M/S Gamma Agro Medical Processing, Hyderabad, Telangana               | Food &Medical Products             |                 2008 |
|        9 | M/S Jhunsons Chemicals Pvt Ltd., Bhiwadi, Rajasthan                   | Agro, Medical& Packaging Products  |                 2010 |
|       10 | M/S Innova Agri Bio Park Ltd., Malur, Dist. Kolar, Karnataka          | Food &Medical Products             |                 2011 |
|       11 | M/S Hindustan Agro Co-Operative Ltd., Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra | Onion &Other Agricultural Produces |                 2012 |
|       12 | M/S Impartial Agro Tech (P) Ltd., Unnao, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh       | Food &Medical Products             |                 2014 |
|       13 | M/S Gujarat Agro Industries Corpn. Ltd, Bavla, Ahmedabad, Gujarat     | Food Products                      |                 2014 |
|       14 | M/s Aligned Industries, Dharuhera, Rewari, Haryana                    | Food Products                      |                 2015 |
|       15 | Maharashtra State Agricultural Mktg. Board, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra  | Food Products                      |                 2015 |
|       16 | Electromagnetic Industries, Vadodara, Gujarat                         | Food Products                      |                 2019 |

New Food Irradiation Facilities to be Functional in 2019-20

1. Pinnacle Therapeutics Private Limited, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
2. Avanti Mega Food Park, Devas, MP
3. Jamnadas Industries, Indore, MP
4. AMTZ Vizag, AP
5. M S V Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, Midnapur (E), WB
6. Solas Industries, Mathura, UP
7. A V Gammatech, Ambernath, MH
8. Tamilnadu State Agricultural Marketing Board (TNAMB), Pochampalli, TN