Imphal, October 5, 2014: A wide array of food items are on display at the Imphal Food Expo that is under way at Iboyaima Sumnag Leela Sanglen Complex in Imphal ahead of International Chinjak Festival.
The seven-day mouth-watering food extravaganza entered its third day today. Visitors enjoyed processed food as well as just-prepared dishes, including indigenous cuisines.
Processed foods ranging from vegetables, fruits and meat are no less delicious than fresh cooked or prepared foods.
Singju (Manipuri salad), bora (deep fried item), kjanghou (fried item), paknam (steamed item) are some of the local dishes being prepared at the spot. People enjoyed eating locally made noodles and meat items, including roast chicken.
Laishram Dorendro, a foodie, said: “We live to eat. Such an extravaganza needs to be organised in different seasons. It is a delight that the International Chinjak Festival is approaching.”
Pickles of vegetables, meat and fruits, dry fruits, spices and bottled juices are displayed at 60 stalls. Manufacturers here are happy to get an opportunity to introduce or advertise their products from a platform provided by the directorate of commerce and industries department, government of Manipur.
N. Iboyaima, a superviser of a local juice company Likla, told this correspondent that the participants help them gain knowledge about various products displayed at different stalls.
He said: “This kind of exhibition helps us to enable people know about our products and that increases the opportunity to sell.”
Commerce and industries minister Govindas Konthoujam on the inaugural day urged people of the state to work together to stock available food resource using food-processing mechanisms. He said an estimated Rs 44-crore worth of food is wasted in India annually. He also appealed to the people of the state to produce food in largescale.
The special product displayed at the food expo is the Manipur Bee Keepers Federation’s bottled honey that is collected especially from the hill districts of Manipur. The price ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 1,200 per 750 ml bottle.
S. Nilakamal, president of the federation, said: “Bee-keeping can help to earn a living and support children with proper education.” He appealed to the jobless youth to join bee-keeping as honey is of great demand everywhere and for which Manipur is naturally resourceful.
Today, a seminar was organised as part of the festival on Opportunities on food processing industries in Manipur.
Joy kumar, director of National Mission Food Processing (NMFP), Manipur unit, said: “The objective of the seminar is to showcase the processed food products of the state in the domestic and also in the international markets.”
He urged to avail the opportunity provided by the NMFP in expanding their units to promote export.
Secretary, Innovative Youth Society (IYS), Khuraijam Athouba, announced yesterday that the 11-day International Chinjak Festival was scheduled to begin on November 6.
Source: The Telegraph
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