Lok Sabha Question No. 6250 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Promotion of Agricultural Clusters in Kerala
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6250 ANSWERED ON 02 ND  APRIL, 2026

## PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL CLUSTERS IN KERALA

## 6250.  SMT. PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  initiatives  to  promote  and  support  agricultural clusters in Kerala and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any action to strengthen the cold storage infrastructure especially  for  horticultural  products  like  banana  in  Kerala,  if  so,  the  details  thereof including projects sanctioned for the purpose; and
- (c) whether the Government has sanctioned  any projects  to  promote  banana  processing  in Kerala including in Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

(a): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing a Scheme for Creation  of  Infrastructure  for  Agro  Processing  Clusters  (APC),  a  component  scheme  of  the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) for development of modern infrastructure to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on cluster approach in the country. Under the scheme, grants-in-aid @ 35% of the eligible project cost is provided in General Areas and 50% of the eligible project cost in North Eastern States including Sikkim and difficult areas including Himalayan States (Himachal Pradesh, J&K & Uttarakhand), notified ITDP areas and Islands subject to a maximum of Rs.10.00 crore. The APC scheme is not sector specific. The scheme envisages for development of common  basic enabling infrastructure and core infrastructure as per the requirement of food processing units. As on 31.12.2025, Ministry has approved 65 agro processing clusters in the country under the scheme. Out of 65, 2 agro processing clusters have been approved in the State of Kerala. The details of these 2 projects are provided in Annexure.

(b): Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries,  under  its  schemes  does  not  provide  financial assistance for establishment of standalone cold storages facilities. However, it incentivizes creation of  cold  storage  infrastructure  as  part  of  food  processing  projects  under  relevant  component schemes of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY). As on 31.12.2025, Ministry has approved 54 number of projects under various component schemes of PMKSY in the State of

Kerala, out of which 38 number of projects have been completed thereby creating 13 number of cold storages for various sectors (including fruits & vegetables sector) with capacity of 0.514 Lakh MT in the State of Kerala.

(c): The  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  (MoFPI)  has  been  implementing  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) with various component schemes for setting up of food processing projects (including banana processing) across the country (including Kerala).

The PMKSY scheme is a demand driven scheme under which applications are invited online from the potential investors / entrepreneurs against Expression of Interest (Eol) issued by the Ministry from time to time.

As on date, there is no approved project for banana processing in the State of Kerala under the component schemes of PMKSY.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6250 ANSWERED ON 02 ND  APRIL 2026 'PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL CLUSTERS IN KERALA'

Details of two agro processing clusters approved in the State of Kerala:

|   Sr. No. | Name of the Project Execution Agency (PEA)   | District   | State   | Date of approval   |   Project cost (In ₹ Crore) |   Grant Approved (in ₹ Crore) |   Total Grant released (in ₹ Crore) | Status    |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------|------------|---------|--------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------|
|         1 | M/s Chendayad Granites Private Limited       | Wayanad    | Kerala  | 03.10.2019         |                      29.5   |                        9.8981 |                             9.65064 | Completed |
|         2 | M/s Synthite Industries Private Limited      | Ernakulam  | Kerala  | 30.04.2020         |                      42.222 |                        9.0504 |                             8.37561 | Completed |

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