The government is focusing on increasing food processing levels and ensuring greater value reaches farmers, with effective implementation of its programmes and incentives aimed at strengthening the processing ecosystem, Food Processing Industries Ministry Joint Secretary Devesh Deval said.
India’s food market is estimated at USD 550-600 billion and has been growing at a healthy 6-7 per cent annually, supported by economic growth and urbanisation, Deval said at the three-day inaugural function of Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026 organised by Koelnmesse.
He said food processing creates greater value for farmers, attracts investment and is the second-highest employment creator in manufacturing, accounting for nearly 8 per cent of gross value added in manufacturing.
The government’s focus is to increase the level of processing across all 16 broad sub-sectors and ensure greater value reaches farmers, he said.
“Cereals, meat, fruits and vegetables and dairy remain key segments, with India being the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables and the largest producer of milk. Fisheries, marine products and animal husbandry also receive dedicated policy attention, while healthier and plant-based foods are emerging areas of innovation,” he added.
India’s strong agricultural base and startup ecosystem, with more than 2 lakh startups, offer significant opportunities for food manufacturing, processing and innovation, he said, adding that the focus now is on effective implementation of government programmes and incentives to leverage these strengths and build a stronger food processing ecosystem.
