40 Women Receive Tomato Processing Training in Solan

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Saturday, 12 September 2026

A two-day workshop on tomato processing and value addition was held at Solan (HP) to provide practical skills to around 40 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Community Level Federations (CLFs) and the women of entrepreneurial background.

The workshop was entitled ‘Tomato Processing, Value Addition and Commercial Ketchup Production' and aimed to impart hands-on food processing and entrepreneurship skills to the women to enable small businesses and women self-help groups to support tomato businesses.

The program was arranged by Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology (FASB) of Shoolini University, with the Block Development Offices of Solan and Kandaghat.

 Key Highlights

• A two-day practical training program was conducted for 40 women in Solan
• The participants learned how to process tomatoes, make ketchup, package and preserve
• Training on FSSAI standards, costing, pricing and entrepreneurial skills were covered

In the workshop, hands on training was provided on various processing techniques of tomato such as tomato puree and paste making, value addition processing, commercial ketchup and sauce preparation. The sessions were organized to give the participants practical information they could use in their food-processing activities and/or to their possible business ventures.

The training also involved discussions on packaging and preservation methods to enable the participants to know the different ways in which the tomatoes are processed and preserved for commercialisation. Practical demonstrations to the students covered processes for converting fresh tomatoes into products which can be packaged for market.

Another important aspect of the program was food quality and food safety. The participants got introduced about the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) requirements associated with food-processing activities. The sessions emphasized on keeping the quality standards while processing, packaging and preserving.

The financial considerations in setting up and operating a food-processing business were also discussed. Participants were trained in costing and pricing, in order to enable them to understand the way production costs can be estimated as they create commercially viable products.

Since tomatoes farming is one of the activities carried out in the area, the program sensitised the participants on the possibility of value adding to tomatoes to create women entrepreneurship and improve their livelihoods. The training was not restricted to fresh produce but showed ways in which tomatoes could be processed into various products that have market value.

The involvement of the members of SHG and CLF also provided a firm thrust to the program to women led enterprises and community based businesses. The training was able to equip the participants with the technical skills that will be helpful to their livelihood activity or for them to think on a new activity in food processing.

The sessions on the process started from receiving fresh tomatoes and extended to processing, preservation, packaging and commercialisation and provided an overview of the steps involved in developing tomato based products for the market.

The workshop ended with emphasis on the idea of women and the members of SHG to think about the possible business opportunities in the form of value addition of tomatoes. The program aimed to enhance food processing skills and entrepreneurship development knowledge of participants by linking the technical working skills with food safety, food costing and packaging aspects to enable them to explore food processing businesses and sustainable livelihood opportunities.