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Green, round, delicious brands

The nutritious and delicious food that is American dry green peas, a low-cost agri-produce, is making quick inroads into Indian kitchens.

According to Tim McGreevy, president of USA Dry Peas and Lentil Council, the US has a surplus of pulse production at a time when American pulses are getting popular among consumers in overseas markets including India.

The council, an association of American farmers, processors and exporters, encourages production of green peas, yellow peas and chickpeas and lentils for export to other countries with branded packages.

American peas and other pulses were being imported into India since 1983. However, the US products used to get mixed up with other pulses before reaching the retail outlets.

Now the council is making efforts to promote the branding of the imported American peas in India through processing and packaging.

It has singed up licensing agreements with three food processing units: Kumkum Food Products Limited and Phil Corporation of Bombay and Nilgiris of Bangalore.

McGreevy was in Bombay this week in connection with launching of the brand name Frontline for Kumkum Products. He said processing of American peas by registered dealers would enable Indian consumers to get fresh peas on putting them into water.

Last year, India imported about 20,000 tonnes of American peas or ten per cent of total US peas production. This may go up in the current year.

McGreevy said that India was among the three top importers of pulses from the US. Demand for US pulses in developing countries is growing due to shortage of pulses production in recent years. "We will expand our product lines as the demand goes up," he said.

KFPL has entered into an agreement with Maviga of the US, international traders of dried edible pulses and other special crops. for purchasing green peas from cooperative agricultural producers and farmers' societies. Kumkum will process the peas in India and sell them under the Frontline brandname.

After starting with Bombay and Pune, the company has plans to market the product in the rest of Maharashtra.

UNI

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