New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries S Ravneet Singh Bittu on Friday said his ministry, Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, and HUL will hold joint deliberations to enhance tomato production and paste manufacturing in Punjab.

The minister made the announcement during his visit to the Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) plant in Rajpura, Punjab, where he highlighted the state's untapped potential in tomato cultivation.

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The HUL facility in Rajpura requires 11,423 tonnes of tomato paste annually for ketchup production but currently sources only 50 metric tonnes from Punjab.

"Punjab farmers produce tomatoes with the best colour quality in India, as confirmed by HUL Rajpura. Yet, we supply only 2 per cent of the total requirement. With assured fair prices, our farmers can significantly increase production," Bittu said.

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The minister proposed engaging Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana to develop hybrid tomato seeds meeting international standards to boost local cultivation, an official statement said.

Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra's robust tomato processing sector, Bittu questioned why Punjab couldn't achieve similar success.

He assured that the Centre would extend full support to Punjab farmers venturing into tomato cultivation.

The initiative aims to create a synergy between government institutions and the private sector to strengthen Punjab's position in tomato production and processing, officials said.

Senior government officials, including Patiala Deputy Commissioner Preeti Yadav and Ministry of Food Processing Industries representative JP Dongare, were present during the visit.

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