Spanish firm Congelados De Navarra along with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) is setting up a quick freezer plant for vegetables in Ludhiana district of Punjab.
The project will see an initial investment of Rs 550 crore. The foundation stone of the facility will be laid on 30 May 2019. The proposed plant will have a technology to freeze individually each piece of vegetable so that the final product is not frozen into a solid block.
The company has pioneered the IQF technology. It is into processing of vegetables, fruits, herbs and ready-made pre-cooked dishes. The Spanish company's IQF facility will be its largest in India with a processing capacity of up to 80,000 per annum. The production will start in the next two years.
The proposed facility will come up at Macchiwara in Ludhiana on 75 acre of land parcel. The land has been acquired and the raw materials will be sourced locally. The new facility aims to benefit 10,000 farmers and generate 400 direct and 2,000 indirect employment.