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In the past year alone, 1,608 new projects have been launched, encompassing 41 mega food parks, 394 cold chain projects, and 75 agro-processing cluster projects. These endeavours aim to improve farmer incomes, minimise agricultural waste, and boost processed food exports, ultimately leading to a doubling…Read More
This surge in food processing will directly benefit the agricultural sector, which is navigating uncertainties related to US tariff policies. Representational image
India’s food processing industry is experiencing significant growth, spurred by the Make in India scheme. Government figures highlight the sector’s potential for further expansion.
Data reveals that the gross value added has risen from 1.61 lakh crore in 2015-16 to 1.92 lakh crore in 2022-23. This translates to an average annual growth rate of approximately 5.35% over the past eight years.
Encouragingly, this growth has created jobs, with employment figures rising from 17.73 lakh in 2014-15 to 20.68 lakh in 2021-22.
The government attributes this growth to the Make in India initiative’s emphasis on food processing. The programme has introduced numerous incentives to foster local and indigenous food production and talent. This surge in food processing will directly benefit the agricultural sector, which is navigating uncertainties related to US tariff policies.
However, government sources emphasise that there is no cause for concern. They point to the sector’s steadily increasing contribution to India’s exports. In 2023-24, agri-food exports constituted about 23.4% of total exports, compared to 13.7% in 2014-15.
Several landmark initiatives have been instrumental in revitalising the sector. In the past year alone, 1,608 new projects have been launched, encompassing 41 mega food parks, 394 cold chain projects, and 75 agro-processing cluster projects. These endeavours aim to improve farmer incomes, minimise agricultural waste, and boost processed food exports, ultimately leading to a doubling of farmers’ earnings.
Furthermore, these initiatives have generated employment for 2.84 lakh people. The encouragement of new industries, such as makhana (fox nut) production, diversifies India’s economic sectors and enhances its global competitiveness in the superfood market.
This success story provides valuable insights for future innovation in the food processing industry.
