Chhattisgarh would be a key participant in the three-day mega international food event — “World Food India, 2017” summit of Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries to be held in from November 3 to 5 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, officials informed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event on November 3.
The Government of Chhattisgarh has received an invitation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on behalf of Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, officials informed.
The State Government has agreed to participate with a grand presentation in the event.
Chief Minister Raman Singh is likely to be present in the event.
A global event to facilitate partnerships between Indian and international businesses and investors, World Food India (WFI) is a gateway to the Indian food economy and an opportunity to showcase, connect, and collaborate, officials informed.
Organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the event will be the largest gathering of investors, manufacturers, producers, food processors, policy makers, and organisations from the global food ecosystem.
It aims to provide opportunities for both investment and trade in the food processing sector for leading Indian and international companies. Encompassing the entire food spectrum from production to consumption, WFI is looking at creating a better sourcing environment, thereby enabling higher returns for farmers, creating employment, and fostering entrepreneurship.
World Food India intends to establish global linkages and facilitate foreign investment in India’s US$ 915 billion farm-to-fork ecosystem that services the needs and rising aspirations of the country’s 1.3 billion consumers.
The World Food India delegation generated huge excitement among the business community of Chhattisgarh during the Roadshow organised here on August 4 this year.
The Roadshow was organised by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) in collaboration with CII ‘.
The Roadshow was attended by Minister of Commerce & Industries, Government of Chhattisgarh, Amar Agrawal, the then Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries, Government of Chhattisgarh, N Baijendra Kumar, and other senior officials from the State Government as well as Dr Vijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Advisor, Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) .
More than 200 business persons and industrialists attended the World Food India Roadshow.
Notably, ‘World Food India 2017’ is a platform for showcasing the food processing strength of India and an opportunity to connect with international and Indian key players in food processing and allied sectors.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the National Event Partner. The three day mega event ‘World Food India’ is to be held in New Delhi from November 3–5 , 2017.
Addressing the dignitaries and the business community of Chhattisgarh, Minister of Commerce & Industries, Government of Chhattisgarh Amar Agrawal said “Country’s progress is not possible without empowering farmers. WFI is the step towards supporting and uplifting farmers and together as a Nation we are working to make the vision of Prime Minister of “Make In India” into a reality”.
World Food India will provide a platform to showcase offerings and Services along the food value chain which includes production, processing, packaging, technology, equipment, storage, logistics or retail. 80 international food companies have confirmed their participation at World Food India. Also, 30 CEOs of international food companies will attend the CEO Roundtable at World Food India.
Industry representatives present at the Roadshow included Agro products, beverages, fisheries, dairy, organic and health food, farmer producer organisations, progressive farmers and food, industry associations and academia.
As many as 22 food processing units in Chhattisgarh received total Central assistance of Rs 2.48 crore during the last financial year (2015-16), officials informed.
The funds were received by the food processing units under the scheme for technology upgradation, establishment and modernisation exercises.
It may be recalled that the Central Government is making all out efforts to draw Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under its ‘Make In India’ programme for drawing investment in the Mega Food Park being set up in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district in an area of 68.68 hectares.
In a section titled “Projects Ready for Procurement in FY 2016-17” in its “Make in India Investment Book”, which had been circulated in Indian Missions abroad, the Centre had mentioned that work on the project started in 2015 with the anticipated project completion time line of 2018-19.
It mentioned that the Mega Food Park intends to provide modern infrastructure facilities for the food processing units along the value chain from farm to market.
The Centre’s Scheme of mega Food Parks is aimed at providing modern infrastructure facilities along the value chain from farm gate to the market with strong backward and forward linkages. It is expected to facilitate the efforts to increase the level of processing of agricultural and horticultural produce, with particular focus on perishables, in the country and thereby to check the wastage.
The Scheme has a cluster based approach based on a hub and spokes model. It includes creation of infrastructure for primary processing and storage near the farm in the form of Primary Processing Centres (PPCs) and Collection Centres (CCs) and common facilities and enabling infrastructure at Central Processing Centre (CPC).
The PPCs are meant for functioning as a link between the producers and processors for supply of raw material to the Central Processing Centres (CPCs). A CPC has need based core processing facilities and basic enabling infrastructure to be used by the food processing units setup at the CPC. The minimum area required for a CPC is 50 acres.
The scheme is demand-driven and would facilitate food processing units to meet environmental, safety and social standards.
As per the Annual Survey of Industries 2013-14 the total number of food processing industries registered under the Factories Act, 1948 has been estimated at 37,445.
To promote food processing units in the country, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing schemes of mega food parks, cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure, setting up/modernisation of abattoirs and strengthening of institutions.