The Common Incubation Centre (CIC) for processing of Coconut Products established under Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme funded by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, New Delhi, at the Department of Food Process Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, was inaugurated by Thiru T. M. Anbarasan, Honourable Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of Tamil Nadu.
The inauguration was held in the presence of Dr. Atul Anand, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, MSME Department, Thiru. L. Nirmal Raj, Industries Commissioner and Director of Industries & Commerce, Dr. R. Thamizh Vendan, Registrar & Acting Vice- Chancellor, TNAU, Coimbatore and Dr. A. Raviraj, Dean (Engg.), TNAU, Coimbatore. Dr. M. Balakrishnan, Professor & Head, Department of Food Process Engineering, TNAU, Coimbatore explained and demonstrated various processing lines of coconut products. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is the State Level Technical Institute (SLTI) and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is the State Nodal Agency (SNA) of PMFME Scheme. The Common Incubation Centre will be useful for various Stakeholders namely, Coconut farmers, FPOs, NGOs, Start-ups on custom hiring basis.