India’s food processing initiatives have significantly reduced post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables over the past five years, according to Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan. This has paved the way for enhanced farmer incomes and positioned the country as a potential global food hub. Speaking at the SUFALAM event hosted by NIFTEM-Kundli in Haryana, Paswan underscored the sector’s pivotal role in achieving India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Paswan highlighted that government schemes promoting food processing have driven progress, though untapped potential remains vast. “We are yet to fully harness the sector’s capabilities. Our current standing in exports and processing is modest, but the scope for growth is immense,” he said, envisioning India as a “global food basket.”
The government is fostering a robust ecosystem for food processing by supporting startups and implementing targeted schemes. Food Processing Industries Secretary Subrata Gupta emphasized ongoing efforts to bolster infrastructure, such as cold chains, which have directly contributed to the decline in food wastage. “Over the last five years, we’ve seen a measurable loss reduction due to improved processing capabilities,” Gupta noted.
Addressing the challenge of feeding a growing global population—projected to rise by 2 billion from the current 8 billion—Gupta pointed out inefficiencies in agricultural land use. He revealed that 77% of farmland is dedicated to animal feed, yielding just 18% of human caloric intake and 37% of protein consumption. To tackle this, NIFTEM is spearheading research into innovative solutions like cultured meat and plant-based proteins.
Despite these advancements, both Paswan and Gupta acknowledged that more work is needed to fully realize the sector’s potential, with continued investment in infrastructure and innovation at the forefront of the government’s strategy.