Foodpro 2001 sets three-point road map for food revolution

Our Commodities Bureau

Chennai, Dec 9: India, with a foodgrain mountain at its disposal and being among the top producers of a host of fruits and vegetables and milk, has the potential to be the global food factory.

The country produces over 600 million tonnes of food products. It is the second largest producer of fruits and the second largest producer of vegetables. Over 40 varieties of vegetables are grown in the country.

However, according to D Tripathi secretary in ministry for food processing industry, less than two per cent of fruits and vegetables are processed. Value addition is only seven per cent compared to 23 per cent in China and 45 per cent in the Philippines. According to minister of state for food processing industry, Prof Chamanlal Gupta, as a sunrise sector the food processing industry can generate massive productive employment opportunities, about 54,000 jobs for every Rs 1,000 crore investment.

India has only 0.9 per cent share in the global processed food trade. Export of processed foods, including that of marine products during 2000-2001 was Rs 14,165 crore, seven per cent of the total exports of agricultural, plantation and processed food products.

It is on this premise that the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Foodpro 2001, is providing an important forum, for all the stakeholders in the food industry including the government, to take stock and showcase existing capabilities and capacities, review and strategise for the way forward, in order to leverage the natural endowments and position India on the international ‘food’ scenario, acording to Ms Mallika Srinivasan, chairperson of Foodpro 2001.

‘‘CII envisages a three-point road map for ushering in a food revolution in the country — an agenda which industry and the government would have to work on closely together to achieve. The three areas identified are:

* creation of an environment conducive for the rapid growth of food processing sector;
* improving the productivity and efficiency of Indian agriculture and the food processing sector; and
* creation and implementation of an aggressive, highly focused export strategy.

Ms Srinivasan believes that the proposed processed food development authority, that would rationalise the standards for processed food industry, and the setting up of two food parks in Karnataka are welcome developments in the right direction. The CII proposals to promote the food processing industry in the country has suggested that there are several areas where legal, administrative and fiscal framework need both simplification and amendment across Central, state and local legislations. This needs to be addressed in a holistic manner.

Safety and health are of paramount importance and needed to align with international standards like Codex, prescribed for food trade and widely followed in the world.

Free and easy movement of goods within the country is another vital step in the environment creation process. Against the background of the WTO, a focussed strategy needs to support selected sectors like fruits and vegetables, floriculture and organic tea, cotton, and rice which together account for $60 billion in terms of market size.