AP Chambers asks central govt to release incentives to MSMEs

By Our Special Correspondent

A delegation of members of the AP Chambers from the food processing sector led by the elected president of the Chambers, Potluri Bhaskara Rao, met Agriculture and Food Processing Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Monday to discuss about Rs. 180 crore for 225 foods processing units in the state.

The AP Chambers requested immediate release of long-pending incentive dues to food processing units, which are already in dire straits due to the pandemic and rising cost of production.

The minister assured the delegation that all pending incentives to food processing units would be released soon.

Later, the delegation also met Chiranjeev Chaudhary, Secretary to Government (Food Processing), Industries and Commerce and discussed the issues facing the food processing sector.

Chiranjeev Chowdhury responded positively to this and assured that the government will solve the problems soon. He also said that the government would set up a state-level consultative committee that would hold frequent consultations with industry associations to resolve issues faced by the industry.

Members of AP Chambers, Shree Fruit Beverages MD S Phanindra, Vijay Krishna Agro MD G Vijay Kumar, Kosuri Balaji Agro Foods MD K Srivasa Rao, VC Products MD V V Vamsi Krishna, Tanvi Foods Plant Head T Rangachari, Yontus Life Sciences MD Bala Shankar Reddy and Minister YCR Spices MD Y Anand Reddy was in the delegation that met the Secretary.

AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation president-elect Potluri Bhaskar Rao thanked Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the timely release of industrial financial incentives for distressed MSMEs and textile and spinning units in September 2021.

Bhaskar Rao wanted to inform in a letter to Agriculture and Food Processing Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy that the incentives related to the food processing sector were not released at that time.