New Delhi: The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), as of June 30, 2024, has approved 41 Mega Food Parks, 399 Cold Chain projects, 76 Agro-processing Clusters, 588 Food Processing Units, 61 Creation of Backward & Forward Linkages Projects and 52 Operation Green projects under corresponding component schemes of Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Minister of State for Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Ravneet Singh said in the Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.
It is observed that the food processing industries have emerged as an important part of the Indian economy in terms of their contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment and exports. During the past eight years ending 2022-23, the food processing sector has been growing at an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of around 5.35 per cent. Gross Value Added (GVA) in the food processing sector has also increased from 1.61 lakh crore in 2015-16 to 1.92 lakh crore in 2022-23 (as per First Revised Estimates of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation), the minister informed the lower house of Indian parliament.
You may also like to read – Mega Food Parks: Transforming Indian Agriculture
The employment in the food processing industries has increased from 17.73 lakh in 2014-15 to 20.68 lakh in 2021-22 as per the latest Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) report. Moreover, the percentage share of processed food export in agri-food export has gone up to 23.4 per cent in 2023-24 from 13.7 per cent in 2014-15, Singh further said.
To ensure the overall development of the food processing sector and to help it overcome various challenges, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing Central sector umbrella scheme viz Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and Centrally sponsored scheme, PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), the MoS MoFPI further informed the Lok Sabha.
MoFPI through the implementation of PMKSY across the country helps in the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm-gate to retail outlet for promotion, overall development and growth of food processing industries, through the creation of employment opportunities, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing export of the processed foods. The food processing ministry provides financial assistance as capital subsidy in the form of grants-in-aid (GIA) under various component schemes of PMKSY for setting up new food processing industries, units and projects and also expanding the existing ones, the minister further informed.
You may also like to read – NABARD, Odisha Agri Dept, APEDA organise workshop for FPOs to promote fresh vegetables’ export
The ministry also provides financial, technical and business support for setting up and upgradation of micro food processing enterprises under the PMFME scheme. The scheme is operational for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with a total outlay of Rs 10,000 crore. A total of 92,549 micro food processing enterprises have been approved for assistance under PMFME as of June 30, 2024, Singh added.
PLISFPI is, inter alia, intended to support the creation of global food manufacturing champions, branding and marketing abroad and support Indian brands of food products in the international market. The scheme is being implemented over six years from 2021-22 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs. 10,900 crore and a total of 172 food processing companies have been approved for assistance under various categories of the scheme as of June 30, 2024, the minister concluded.
