PAU all set to organize food industry and craft mela on Oct 20

Ludhiana, October 15, 2019: The Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, is all set to organize the Food Industry and Craft Mela on October 20, 2019.
The mela targeted at developing cooperation between industry, academia, research, raw material producers and the consumers will include a display of a wide array of products by small and big entrepreneurs and self-help groups involved in agro/food processing. The major highlights of the event are food court, gaming zone, festive shopping stalls,diwali gifts, agro-processing industry, solar appliances, handicrafts, testing for food adulteration and ‘salad making’ and ‘best out of waste’ competitions for children between 12- 18 years of age. Started in the year 2014 with free entry and parking, the annual show has been a big hit with public who get to connect with organic food producers, have access to adulteration free food and buy vegetable seeds, ornamental plants etc.
“The focus of the event is on accelerating the interactions between food industry, academia, research institutes, self-help groups, farmer producer organizations, young entrepreneurs and students working in the field of agro-processing and provides a platform to the budding entrepreneurs especially from the rural areas to show case their processed products and get exposure to state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of food processing”, informed Dr Jaskarn Singh Mahal, Director of Extension, PAU. “Besides playing host, PAU will serve as a bridge between the producer, processor and buyer/consumer”, said Dr Mahal, while adding that the expected footfall this year would be close to 25,000 people.
It may be mentioned that last year more than 15000 people from Ludhiana, nearby cities and villages including school and college students visited the fair and about 120 SHGs/FPOs/Entrepreneurs, 20 corporate/public sector organizations and different relevant departments of PAU displayed their products and technologies. The venue of the Food Industry and Craft Mela is Food Industry Business Incubation Center, near College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, PAU, Ludhiana.