The first Food Park in Ulkiya village of Sitapur Development Block of Surguja (Ambikapur) district was inaugurated on September 27, 2023, thanks to the initiative of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat. The State Government approved Rs 6 crore 27 lakh for the establishment of the new Food Park.
According to the Food Minister, this Food Park will facilitate the processing of agricultural products, which will benefit the local people by generating new employment opportunities.
The establishment of a food park requires basic facilities such as electricity, water, and transportation, and arrangements have been made to ensure that these requirements are met.
Food Parks are industrial estates designed for food processing units, providing them with common facilities such as cold storage, cold chain, effluent treatment plant, warehousing, power connection, water facilities, and sewerage. These shared infrastructures are especially beneficial for small and medium scale units since they can be costly to set up individually. A common park with all the necessary facilities can aid in the growth of the food processing industry by minimizing wastage. The processing units to be established in the Mega Food Parks will be dependent on the raw materials available and the location of the park.