The Indian Government Just Approved 138 New Food Processing Projects

On 22^nd December the government revealed that there will be sunny days ahead for the Indian food processing sector, as they have just approved 138 proposed projects related to processing.

“The skilled resource on this front will be absorbed in the proposed mega food parks that will not only drastically curtail the wastage of food products but enable farmers get their due”, said the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries.

These approvals came just days after the Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar lauded the benefits of magnifying the food processing industry, saying that it could generate employment in rural areas.

“The food processing industry is a sunrise industry which has the potential of dramatically improving rural livelihood opportunities and bridge the rural-urban divide. It is critical for the development of our country as it establishes vital linkages between the two pillars of the economy i.e. the agriculture and industry,” he said in a statement.

Indeed, over 35% of the country’s overall food market is linked to the food processing industry. Food processing is also a part of the present government’s ‘Make In India’ campaign, with Rs.98 Billion having been allocated to set up 42 food parks and 195.25 million hectares of crop areas.

With these new approvals, therefore, one hopes to see economic growth thanks to food processing as well as increased employment.