Despite the tremendous export potential of sweets made in Bengal, experts claim a lack of proper and hygienic packaging has kept the export market of the state on a back foot so far.

A city-based sweet manufacturer has now decided to buck the trend. Hindusthan Sweets will set up a sweet manufacturing facility near Jadavpur Telephone Exchange, and is expected to come up early next year. With an investment of Rs 20 crore, the facility promises to make a mark in the field of compliance with international standards.

“There is a huge potential for Indian-made sweets outside India. We have been sending our sweets abroad. The problem is, they are only consumed by Indians living there. However, we need foreign customers to enjoy our delicacies. For this we need to maintain Western standards of hygiene, packaging and shelf life,” said R Paul, director, Hindusthan Sweets.

The Hague-based PUM, an independent organisation supported by the Dutch government and the European Union, has been roped in by the sweet manufacturing company to provide a two-week training to its staff in packaging and hygiene.

“We believe Indian sweets as an export item have a huge potential abroad. However, much remains to be covered in terms of hygiene and packaging for the sweetmeat industry of West Bengal. Through awareness, training, adoption of new technologies and work methods, the industry can easily make inroads into the global market,” said Wim Beute, senior expert, PUM.

Experts are of the opinion that the sweetmeat industry in India is primarily unorganised and labour-intensive and uses traditional manual skills and techniques of manufacturing, which fail to meet Western standards of testing. There is a need to improve the quality and standards to tap foreign markets.