India’s processed food output seen more than tripling by 2015

Production in the food processing sector in the country is expected to more than triple, with the level of processing of perishables rising from 6 per cent at present to 20 per cent by the year 2015, according to the ministry of food processing's vision document 2015.

Value addition in the food processing sector is expected to go up from 20 per cent to 35 per cent while India's share in global food trade is expected to double from 1.5 per cent to three per cent by the year 2015.

This has to be achieved through public-private partnerships with strong implementation capabilities. The government has also restructured the 11th Plan schemes with appropriate management/ implementation targets.

Project selection, development and implementation of decentralised cluster-based projects, particularly the creation of infrastructure and fostering linkages to retail outlets are key to industry-led capacity building and upgradation of standards, Charan Das Mahant, minister of state for food processing industries, stated in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

The government now proposes to integrate food laws and develop science-based food standards to help selection of better projects, he said.

The ministry of food processing industries has already approved 15 of the 30 mega food parks planned for the 11th Plan period and is in the process of approving the remaining 15 mega food parks. The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) has already approved the remaining 15 projects and expression of interest (EOI) has been issued for inviting proposals, he added.