World Food India 2023: Inauguration of Food Street and SHG Support

• Prime Minister inaugurated Food Street as part of World Food India 2023, which will feature regional cuisines and royal culinary heritage, from across India.
• He disbursed Seed Capital Assistance for over one lakh SHG members to strengthen Self Help Groups in the food sector.

What is World Food India? – Showcasing Agri-Food Excellence on the Global Stage

• Aim: To showcase India as ‘food basket of the world’ and celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.  

• • It is an opportunity for networking and business platform for government bodies, industry professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to engage, establish partnerships, and explore investment opportunities in the agri-food sector. 
• Events: About 48 sessions will be hosted, focusing on various aspects of the food processing industry, emphasizing financial empowerment, quality assurance and innovations in machinery and technology.
• Participants: Participants from over 80 countries, including CEOs of prominent food processing companies, will be present at the event.
• Partners: The Netherlands will be the partner country whereas Japan will be the country in focus during the event.

Empowering Growth: Understanding the Dynamics of India’s Food Processing Sector

• About: Food processing sector in India is recognized as the ‘sunrise sector’ and has attracted foreign direct investment of more than Rs 50,000 crores.
• Export: The share of processed foods in India’s agricultural exports has risen from 13 percent to 23 percent, achieving an overall increase of 150 percent.
• Role of Agro-export Policy: India’s Agri-Export policy has led to development of nationwide logistics and infrastructure, the creation of more than 100 district-level hubs connecting the district to the global markets, increase in the number of Mega Food Parks, and increase in India’s food processing capabilities from 12 lakh metric tonnes to more than 200 lakh metric tonnes.
• Food Processing Levels: Despite India having a large food production base, the level of processing is low (less than 10%).
• Driving Social and Economic Impact: Significance of India’s Food Processing Sector
  • Women Empowerment: More than 9 crore women in India are associated with self-help groups that work in the food processing sector. This provides livelihood to women and empower them.
  • Rural Development: Majority of the food processing industry is concentrated in rural areas of the country making it vital for growth and development in rural India.
  • Increase in Farmers’ Income: Simple raw agricultural goods do not fetch much income. However, converting raw agro produce into processed food helps in generating income for farmers.
  • Boost MSME Industries: Majority of food processing industries come under MSME categories. This employs a large number of families in rural and semi-urban India.
  • Agricultural Export: Agricultural export from India is worth $ 20 Billion. This number is likely to go up through proper marketing.
  • Employment Generation: Mega food parks have the potential to create lakhs of jobs in India’s agricultural sector. This has the potential to reduce rural problems.
  • Social Empowerment: More than 60 percent of people owning MSMEs belong to SC, ST and OBC categories. Growth of MSMEs, including food processing, will help in social empowerment.
  • Nutrient Sufficiency: Food processing industries can develop food products that have nutritional components. These products have the potential to reduce nutritional deficiency among women and children.
• Challenges Facing India’s Food Processing Sector: A Comprehensive Overview
  • Small-scale Farming: Small-scale farming is not suitable for food processing as the yield cannot sustain a large industry.
  • Lack of Storage Facilities: In many parts of India, there is a lack of cold storage facilities. This forces farmers to sell their produce without waiting for the right time.
  • Weather Conditions: Many parts of the country witness untimely weather conditions, leading to destruction of farm produce.
  • Industrial Setup: Large food processing industries are concentrated in specific areas. There is no proper transport facility for moving produce from fields to factories.
  • Non-mechanized Farming: India still follows primitive agricultural practices, which has led to low productivity as well as slow harvesting.

Conclusion:

Food processing sector has a large potential to reduce poverty and malnutrition. A suitable policy to address the gaps in this sector can go a long way in realizing the goal of doubling farmers’ income.