Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

THE Indian Food Processing and Beverages Industry experts have maintained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious Make in India initiative has immensely boosted the prospects of Indian food processing and beverages industry. It has opened up a plethora of unique opportunities for entrepreneurs and businessmen, including foreign investors, to foray in the lucrative Indian food processing sector poised to witness more than double digit growth in the near future, they said.

The experts were addressing a well attended conclave on “Food Processing Industry: Opportunities and Challenges” as a part of 6th Food and Bev Tech 2016 organised by the premiere Confederation of Indian Industry (Western Region) at Hyatt Regency Convention Centre recently. The focus of the conference and exhibition was aimed at promoting the Indian food processing industry at global scale.

Piruz Khambatta — chairman, Food and Bev Tech 2016 and chairman, Rasna Private Ltd — said the industry was steering ahead due to rapid advances being made in the field of information technology and international best practices being incorporated as a part of expertise introduced by the companies. Stressing the need for the growth of the sector, he said, “A developed food processing industry will reduce wastages, ensure more value addition and generate additional employment opportunities. Besides, export earnings will increase and it will lead to better socio-economic condition of farmers and their families.”

He added that an expansion in the food processing industry would increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of agricultural sector in return.

Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan chairman, S Dave, in his special address harped on the importance of food as an important ingredient which he said has to be accounted for in the value chain of food processing.

Ashwini Malhotra — co-chairman, Food and Bev Tech 2016 and MD, Weikfield Foods Pvt Ltd — said traditional farming must give way to organic farming. He added that tremendous opportunities were opening in the field of manufacturing organic products.

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