Katol says cheers to Reliance’s Rs1,500cr non-alcohol drink hub

Nagpur: The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) completed acquisition of over 160 acre at Katol for Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL) for setting up a food park entailing an investment of Rs1,500 crore. The company plans to build a national hub for non-alcoholic beverages at the site.The idea is to have a centralised manufacturing facility for beverages, fruit juices and energy drinks marketed by the company at Katol, "An entire range of soft drinks like Campa, Raskik, would be made here," said a source. Campa is the 1970s and 80s brand of soft drinks which has been revived by Reliance. The company has also brought Sosyo, a 100-year-old brand from Gujarat, under its stable after it purchased a stake in Sosyo Hajoori Beverages Limited.The company had requested over 164 acre at Katol for the project. MIDC has acquired the land parcel except a small patch — the acquisition of which is expected to be completed in the coming days, said sources.Once the operations begin, this would come up as a major food player in the district. The Patanjali group has already begun operations in the domestic tariff area (DTA) of Mihan-SEZ. Even Katol was being pushed as a site for food processing industries as it is an orange-growing pocket. Reliance plans to implement the project in phases within five years. It is expected to generate nearly 500 jobs apart from around four times of indirect employment in the area, said sources."The orange growers of Katol too are looking forward to major companies setting up anchor projects that would buy their produce. A corporate buyer would boost the prices of oranges. The processing plant at Nanded taken over by Sahyadri Farms from Nashik has helped the orange farmers of Vidarbha get a better price for the ambiya (winter crop). There are similar hopes from Reliance too," said Manoj Jawanjal, director of Mahaorange — a state govt agency engaged in exploring newer markets for oranges.Last year, the high court had paved the way for revival of a defunct processing plant belonging to Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC), which remained shut for 20 years and was taken over by liquidators. The plant, which began in 2001, did not do well and soon shut down. The case was taken up by NCP leader Salil Deshmukh for its revival. The court order now calls for reverting the plant to MAIDC.Last week, the state's govt's high-powered committee also cleared acquisition of over 6,000 acre by the MIDC for a defence, nuclear and aerospace (DNA) hub at Saoner.