Inaugurating a Rs 150-crore world-class animal feed plant in Rajpura on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed confidence that the factory would act as a catalyst for the rapid industrialisation of Punjab. “Lots and lots of companies are coming to Punjab, and the state will emerge as the next industrial hub of the country,” he said. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, Nepal and Bhutan Marisa Gerards also attended the inauguration ceremony of the feed plant built by De Heus Animal Nutrition India, a wholly owned subsidiary of the world’s leading animal feed manufacturing company Royal De Heus of the Netherlands. The global and India leadership of De Heus group was also present. Addressing the gathering, Mann appreciated the pace at which the company raised the factory and other infrastructure, exactly two years after he performed its ground-breaking ceremony in October 2023. “Besides employing young men and women of Punjab, and revenue to the government, the factory, which will market its high-quality animal feed far and wide, will also benefit small suppliers, channel partners, logistics businesses, etc,” the CM noted. Commenting on the devastating floods that caused massive loss of life, crops, farmland, infrastructure, etc, the chief minister reiterated his government’s strong commitment to help all affected return to normal life. “Punjab has fallen several times in the past, but it has also bounced back several times. So, hand in hand we will rebuild our lives together,” he added. Striking a note of optimism, he said, “People will be surprised to know that despite the death and destruction caused by the recent floods, Punjab is estimated to still contribute 180 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of rice and 125 lakh MT of wheat to the national foodgrains pool.” Ambassador Gerards said, “In many ways, the story of her country’s resilience and prosperity is quite similar to that of Punjab, rising from death and destruction of war and the vagaries of nature like floods and famine in the spirit of ‘chardi kalan’.” Highlighting several similarities between the Netherlands as a country and Punjab as a state, Mann said, “Both have nearly the same area, both have a rich culture of well-bonded joint families, and both are agriculture-dominated. But the small European country, famous for its cheese and other agricultural products, is also a powerhouse of technology and innovation, and Punjab could learn a lot from it.” Citing the example set by the Netherlands, Mann said, “At the earliest possible time, I will lead a delegation of progressive farmers to the European country, which is the second largest exporter of food products in the world, to learn from its best farm practices.” He called upon farmers to adopt modern farming methods to keep it sustainable and profitable. Recollecting the Netherlands as a powerhouse of sports, especially in field hockey and soccer, the chief minister said, “Punjab likewise has had a strong history of excelling in sports and continues to dominate.” Reminding the gathering that out of the playing 11 in the Indian national men’s field hockey team, nine members were from Punjab, Mann said, “It is also a matter of pride for the state that the current captains of the Indian field hockey team, women’s cricket team and men’s soccer team are from Punjab.” Promising a consistent supply of high-quality animal feed products from the company, Co De Heus, Chairman Board of Royal De Heus, assured customers that, going beyond mere sale of products De Heus would look to strike lasting relationships with all stakeholders. Expressing solidarity with the people who lost near and dear ones, crops, farmland and livestock in the devastating floods, Co De Heus said, “The company experts will reach out to the livestock owners with their knowledge and expertise to help them care for their surviving livestock.”
