World Food India is the Kumbh Mela of the Food Processing Industry, said Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Hon’ble President of India at the Valedictory session of World Food India which was organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the National event partner.

According to the President of India, food was part of India’s global outreach. Foods like the samosa have entered India from Central Asia, assimilated into our culture and then exported to different parts of the world. He stated that concepts that were once part of India’s heritage such as Ayurveda and Yoga have once again come back in vogue.

Food Processing Sector offers many opportunities for investment in several areas including huge opportunities for women to set up micro-enterprises in the country and  adoption of food processing can go a long way in curbing food wastage, he said.

In her address Ms. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India stated that her Ministry was striving to make India the World’s Food Factory. She felt that food processing would help achieve the stated goal of the Government of India to double famer’s incomes by 2022. She stated that barely 10% of food is processed which opens up opportunities for food processing in the country which would in turn help reduce wastage of food.

She said that the World Food India 2017 witnessed the signing of 50 MoUs worth USD 11.25 billion for investment by the private sector, another USD 2.5 billion at the state level. Coupled with the initiatives that the Central Government is undertaking, close to USD 19 billion worth of investments was committed at World Food India 2017, she added. These investments were in all segments of the food processing value chain from farm to the fork.

According to the Minister, the event witnessed the participation of 10,000 participants and over 8,000 B2B and B2G meetings were held. She highlighted her Ministry’s resolve to follow through on the investments committed and stated that they would work to bring these investments online as soon as possible.

In her address, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Government of India stated that the investment that was committed at this event would go a long way in raising farmers’ incomes in the country.

Mr. J P Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India stated that the partnerships formed at this event will go a long way in giving a boost to this sector.

Mr. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, President Designate, CII stated that food processing will play a major role in doubling farmers’ incomes and the private sector will play a major role in this sector.

New Delhi

November 5, 2017