CII organized the 5th edition of Food & Bev Tech International Exhibition & Conference and in Mumbai. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Piruz Khambatta, Chairman, Food & Bev Tech 2014 and Food & Bev 2014, Chairman CII National Committee on Food Processing and Chairman & Managing Director, Rasna said that the huge participation of the industry at this mega food event bears testimony to its  importance in promoting the growth of the food processing sector.

Mr Khambatta, in his presentation mentioned that India should position itself as the food factory of the world and brand itself with ‘Made in India’ products which meet global standards and quality. He added that food processing sector can be a catalyst in driving the inclusive growth agenda especially in rural India and that processed food can act as a hedge against rising inflation and also help meet consumption demand. Mr Khambatta said that the sector has tremendous potential to attract huge investment opportunities, facilitate employment generation and enable farmers to get the get best value for their produce. He concluded by saying that food processing industry can play a vital role in altering the landscape of rural India the same way IT industry did for urban India.  

Mr Dinesh Waghmare, Managing Director, MAIDC congratulated CII’s Food & Bev Summit and Exhibition for organizing the show focusing on the food processing industry. Highlighting the importance of the sector, he mentioned that globally India ranks 2nd in terms of agriculture produce and ranks 5th in terms of food processing. In context to Maharashtra, Mr Waghmare mentioned that 65% population in the state is involved in agriculture and the state also has a great focus on the food processing sector. He further stated that several FDI proposals were approved in the state. He said that Maharashtra accounted for 90% of the wine industry in India. He added that the state has launched 8 agriculture export zones and announced cold chain projects.

Mr R Mukundan, Immediate Past Chairman, CII WR and Managing Director, Tata Chemicals said that the key learning for the food processing industry is not only about technology but it is also about brand, connect with customers and uniqueness. He stressed on the need to pay attention to adopting best practices in agriculture available across model states in the country for optimal growth. To facilitate this growth, we need to address issues like availability of skilled manpower, branding of Indian products, transportation and investments in R&D. CII from its side is committed to address these issues by constituting a think tank in this area to position the industry in front of the government. He stated that the three important aspects for the driving the growth of the sector are competence, cooperation and commitment.

Mr Dinesh Shahra, Founder & Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries mentioned that the food processing sector is pivotal to release India from the clutches of hunger by increasing the efficiency of the agriculture sector and reducing food wastage. India today needs to focus on elevating its operations to global standards, increasing income levels of farmers and focus on foreign exchange gains by increasing exports. A road map for investment in R&D, affordable warehousing, simple taxation and single window clearance will benefit the sector.

Mr Anurag Shrivastava, Commissioner Horticulture & Food Processing – Department of Horticulture & Food Processing, Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) said that Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India in terms of agriculture output. The state has targeted to begin 50 farm producing organizations (FPOs) out of which 9 have already been started and 4 will be operational soon. Of the 50 FP0s, 20 will focus on horticulture. These FPOs will facilitate bulk supply for the industry. To address infrastructure constraints, GoMP has announced PPP projects in agriculture and horticulture with forward and backward linkages. He also assured that GoMP is working towards creating an investor-friendly ecosystem and policy environment to facilitate growth of the food processing sector.   

CII in association with Grant Thornton released a report on `Indian food & beverage sector-The new wave’ at the occasion. Highlighting the key aspects of the report launched at the conference, Mr Raja Lahiri, Partner, Advisory Grant Thornton India LLP, mentioned that the report focuses on key sectors like agriculture, cold storage, dairy, packaging, food processing, e-retail and more along with the global emerging trends. He said that the top 10 fastest growing markets include all emerging economies and India is leading the pack. He stated that the recent announcement by the government to allocate Rs. 2,000 crore for the development of the sector is a welcome step in the right direction and this will provide incentive to the largely unorganized food processing industry to participate in organized growth with an increase in investment.  

The report suggests that rising incomes, changing aspirations and focus on health explains the changing food habits and growing awareness. 50% of Indian consumer base being under the age of 30 years is also resulting in dynamic tastes and preferences. It further highlights that regulatory compliance creates impediment to growth and needs to be eased out.   

CII’s 5th edition of Food & Bev Tech 2014 Expo was inaugurated with great enthusiasm. It saw huge participation from the Industry. The 3-day exhibition which begins today is larger in scale as compared to its previous edition with presence and association of country partners like Botswana, Israel, Malaysia and Mauritius. The exhibition is also supported by the State Government of Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh as Partner State and institutions like MOFPI, MAIDC and NIFTEM.

The exhibition has on display under the domain of food & beverage and technology related to food processing, packaging, automation, food safety, metal detecting system, etc. It also showcases new and innovative products. In addition to these, there will also be live food shows conducted at the 3-day expo along with competitions for students.