Nalbari, Assam: Assam’s industrial landscape received a major boost with the inauguration of PepsiCo India’s new food manufacturing plant in Nalbari, a project Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma described as an important step in the state’s ongoing industrialisation drive.
The Chief Minister returned to Nalbari to formally inaugurate the facility, nearly three years after laying its foundation stone in 2023. The plant represents a major investment by PepsiCo and is expected to strengthen the state’s food-processing sector while creating new opportunities for local employment and agriculture.
According to Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the project has an investment value of around ₹778 crore, while PepsiCo separately described its investment in Nalbari as ₹750 crore in its official communication. The facility is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Assam’s potato value chain by creating an assured market for locally produced potatoes.
The Chief Minister said the plant is expected to support around 5,000 local farmers, providing them with a dependable market for their produce. The project is therefore positioned not only as an industrial investment but also as a link between Assam’s agricultural producers and the organised food-processing industry.
Employment generation is another major feature of the facility. Sarma said the plant has a workforce comprising more than 75 per cent women, highlighting the project’s potential to expand employment opportunities for women in the region. He also recalled that when the project was announced in 2023, expectations had been set for employment for more than 500 people and benefits for around 5,000 farmers.
The inauguration also underlines the growing importance of food processing in Assam’s industrial development. By connecting agricultural production with large-scale manufacturing, the project could provide farmers with greater market access while contributing to the development of supporting activities linked to logistics, transportation and supply chains.
PepsiCo India, in its official statement, described the inauguration as the beginning of a new chapter for the company in the region and acknowledged the participation of the Assam Chief Minister at the milestone event.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Nalbari facility was only the beginning of a larger pipeline of industrial projects planned for Assam. He indicated that several more projects are expected to come up in the state, signalling the government’s continued focus on attracting investment and expanding industrial activity.
The PepsiCo plant is consequently being seen as an important development for Nalbari and Assam, particularly for its potential to combine industrial investment, women’s employment and agricultural market opportunities. Its operation is expected to strengthen the state’s potato-based value chain while contributing to Assam’s broader industrialisation efforts.
