Farmton Foods Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Somnath Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat to set up a new frozen potato processing facility in Mehsana. The signing took place during the Vibrant Gujarat event at Ganpat University. The company will invest Rs. 580 crore, equal to USD 69.5 million, in this greenfield project. This investment highlights Gujarat’s growing importance as a center for food and agricultural processing in India.
Plant Capacity and Operations
The MoU signing was attended by several dignitaries, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Gujarat’s Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput, Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel, Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, and Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai. Senior leaders from Farmton Foods such as Rameshbhai Mali, Dalpatbhai Mali, and Rohit Mali were also present at the event.
The new processing plant will be equipped with modern technology to produce different potato-based products. It will have the capacity to manufacture 6.5 tons of French fries and coated fries per hour, along with 2.5 tons of hash browns and other coated potato specialties per hour. The factory is expected to begin production in 2026. Once operational, the plant will supply 80 percent of its products to international markets and 20 percent to the Indian market.
Benefits for Farmers and Sustainability Goals
Farmton Foods aims to strengthen its ties with farmers through contract farming. This will provide a steady income and reduce financial risks for local potato growers. The company already works closely with more than eight thousand farmers, and around fifty-five hundred will be directly engaged in the operations of the new facility. Along with supporting farmers, the project focuses on sustainability. The company has a plan to use advanced drip irrigation methods to reduce water use by 50 percent, introduce better potato seeds through a proprietary seed pipeline, and achieve a zero-waste goal by 2030 by recycling potato peels into animal feed and bioenergy.
Speaking at the event, Rameshbhai Mali, Managing Director of Farmton Foods, said that the MoU is an investment in a shared vision to empower farmers, boost the rural economy, and make Gujarat a leader in modern food processing. He emphasized that this partnership with the state government will help India become a global hub for potato-based products.
Strong Legacy of Somnath Group
Somnath Group has more than sixty years of experience in the potato industry. The group manages eight thousand two hundred acres of potato cultivation in Gujarat in partnership with thousands of farmers. It has a storage capacity of eighty thousand metric tons and trades more than seventy-five thousand metric tons of potatoes every year. The new frozen potato project is a natural extension of its long-standing leadership in the sector.
Date : 27 to 31 October 2025
Time : 7 PM to 10 PM
Fee : Rs. 3000
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