The food processing industry is one of India's fastest-growing sectors and serves as a vital bridge between agriculture and industry. By transforming agricultural produce into value-added products, the sector enhances farmers' incomes, reduces post-harvest losses, strengthens food security, generates employment, and contributes significantly to exports and rural industrialisation. As consumer preferences evolve and global demand for safe, nutritious and processed foods continues to rise, the sector is emerging as a key driver of India's economic growth and global competitiveness.
India's diverse agro-climatic conditions, large agricultural base, expanding domestic market, and improving logistics infrastructure provide immense opportunities for food processing. Government initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Food Processing, PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, Mega Food Parks, integrated cold chain infrastructure, and the promotion of One District One Product (ODOP) are accelerating investments across the value chain. Simultaneously, advancements in food technology, digitalisation, traceability, packaging, automation, and sustainable processing practices are transforming the sector into a globally competitive industry.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), through its National Committee on Food Processing, National Task Force on Cold Chain Development, and industry-led working groups, collaborates closely with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, APEDA, State Governments and other stakeholders to strengthen India's food processing ecosystem. CII provides a platform for policy advocacy, industry-government engagement, investment facilitation, knowledge sharing and international collaboration to accelerate sustainable growth of the sector.
The Committee focuses on the following priority areas:
- Promoting investments across food processing, post-harvest management, cold chain and value-added manufacturing.
- Strengthening food safety, quality standards, traceability and regulatory frameworks in collaboration with government and industry.
- Facilitating policy reforms and improving the ease of doing business for food processing enterprises.
- Enhancing competitiveness of MSMEs, startups and farmer collectives through technology adoption, innovation and capacity building.
- Encouraging sustainable processing practices, resource efficiency, circular economy and reduction of food loss and waste.
- Supporting exports of processed food products by promoting quality, market access and global competitiveness.
- Facilitating technology partnerships, research collaborations and adoption of advanced food processing solutions.
- Building integrated value chains through improved logistics, cold chain infrastructure and stronger linkages between farmers, processors, retailers and export markets.
- Promoting skill development and workforce capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the food processing industry.
CII continues to work with industry, government, academia and international partners to foster an innovative, resilient and globally competitive food processing sector that creates value across the farm-to-fork ecosystem, strengthens food security, enhances farmer prosperity and positions India as a leading global hub for processed food products.
The food processing industry is one of India's fastest-growing sectors and serves as a vital bridge between agriculture and industry. By transforming agricultural produce into value-added products, the sector enhances farmers' incomes, reduces post-harvest losses, strengthens food security, generates employment, and contributes significantly to exports and rural industrialisation. As consumer preferences evolve and global demand for safe, nutritious and processed foods continues to rise, the sector is emerging as a key driver of India's economic growth and global ...