LUDHIANA
The “Food Industry and Craft Mela” began at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today on a colorful note. With the festival season at its peak, the mela added all the more colours to the festivity. The mela has been jointly organized by the Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, and the College of Home Science, PAU. In all, 115 stalls, displaying homemade food products, home decoration items, designer apparels and branded food items, have been put up by various departments of PAU, Kirshi Vigyan Kendras, self-help groups and food industry. The mela will conclude in the evening at 8.00 pm.Inaugurating the mela, the Chief Guest, Dr R.K. Gupta, Director, Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana, stated, “It is an excellent mela.” It provides an opportunity to the budding entrepreneurs to flourish their businesses, he said, while observing that they also get motivated.
In his presidential remarks, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, said, “This mela aims at providing platform to the small and medium scale entrepreneurs as well as the farmers to exhibit their products and get acquainted with the Food Industry and Incubation Centre facilities available at PAU.”
Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research, PAU, said the value addition has become critical for improving the income of farmer-entrepreneurs, and preventing gluts and price crashes. The University is developing crop varieties which are nutritionally superior and more amenable to processing, he added.
Dr Ashok Kumar, Director of Extension Education, PAU, remarked, “Showcasing of technologies and products helps in the development of entrepreneurship.”
Dr S.S. Kukal, Dean, College of Agriculture, while lauding the efforts of the organizers, said, “This mela is unique in its own self.”
Dr (Mrs) J.K. Gulati, Dean, College of Home Science, disclosed that ex- and current students of College of Home Science, PAU, have exhibited their food products and decoration items, prepared after acquiring training from PAU. This mela speaks of the University activities, food processing as well as industry, she added.
Dr Poonam A. Sachdev, Head, Department of Food Science and Technology, said natural fruit juices, beverages, candies, preserves, snacks, pickles, chutneys, honey, bakery products, turmeric, dairy and meat products, designer apparels, craft material and home decors are the main attractions of the mela.
Some special food items such as chocolates, honey peda,honey gulab jamun, honey basin sweet, fruit cake, banana cake, date and walnut cake, Italian bread, eggless muffins, whey drink, tea bags and fizzy apple were highly sought after. In addition, handbags made from waste material, bed sheets, cushions, wallets, etc. were displayed.