Jeet B Bhayani (SEBI RA)
22 Sep • 11:50 AM · SEBI-Registered Analyst
India Food Processing Target 30% by 2047
India aims to elevate its processed agricultural output from the current 16–17% to 25–30% by 2030 or 2047, seeking to boost value addition, mitigate post-harvest losses, and strengthen export competitiveness. Speaking at a New Delhi precursor event for Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026, Ministry of Food Processing Industries Deputy Agricultural Marketing Advisor and Director J.P. Dongre noted that processing levels have risen significantly from just 3–4% a decade ago. Currently valued at over ₹47.19 lakh crore ($500 billion), the sector receives targeted government support for modern machinery, packaging infrastructure, and cold-chain facilities across micro, small, medium, and large enterprises. Furthermore, the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme has successfully formalised approximately 200,000 micro-entrepreneurs over the past five years, with further expansion planned for the next five-year cycle.
Curbing post-harvest losses presents a critical economic opportunity, as previous government estimates indicate annual losses exceeding ₹1.5 lakh crore ($15.89 billion) in agricultural produce. Upgrading storage, warehousing, cold-chain networks, and processing capacity can convert these losses into value-added products while improving farm-gate realization. Internationally, trade prospects are expanding—the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to enhance market access and lower tariffs, while nearly 30% of Forum of Indian Food Importers members have evolved into exporters and manufacturers through joint ventures.
