New Delhi, July 31 (KNN) A large quantity of agricultural produce is wasted due to lack of infrastructure in the country, said Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), Ranglal Jamuda adding that the food processing industry holds tremendous potential to grow in India in view of the very low level of processing at present.
 
India with large agriculture base is rightly poised to meet the food needs of the world. Government of India is committed to the growth of the food processing sector. With increase in food processing India can become the food factory of the world. 

While inaugurating the Make in India Conclave - Standardization and Mechanization of Traditional Indian Food on Thursday, organised by National Institute of Food technology entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) under MOFPI, Jamuda said "Our food processing capacity today is at a very nascent stage and therefore huge quantity food produced by farmers is wasted at various levels. A large quantity of agricultural produce is wasted due to lack of infrastructure, storage and processing facilities, The food processing industry holds tremendous potential to grow in India in view of the very low level of processing at present.”

Jamuda said that the government has given necessary importance and focus to the food processing industry and the ministry has launched various schemes for the promotion of food processing industry.
 
With the processing of food, farmers will get assured market and better price for their produce, the food prices will not grow controlling the food inflation and unemployed youths could get jobs. Even without incentives food processing industry registered 8.4 per cent growth rate and that shows the potential for growth of food processing sector in India. 

Speaking on the occasion, Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion(DIPP), stressed on focussing more on processed food as India is one of the largest producer of Milk and second largest producer of Fruit and vegetables, but its exports were almost negligible. India should develop its traditional food items under global standardization and mechanization with least human touch. India should also develop its own brands and have its world class food labs and logistics for taking the finished products for shipping immediately. . 

Ajit Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, NIFTEM told that India’s traditional sweet 'Ghevar' of North India along with Hyderabad’s famous Biryani has been chosen among 12 traditional dishes of different states that would be soon launched worldwide to satiate global taste buds under the ‘Make in India’ flagship program of Government of India. The other dishes of India that have been selected to be launched globally include 'Gushtaba' of Kashmir; chicken curry of Punjab; 'khaakhra' and 'khandvi' of Gujarat; bamboo steam fish of south India; 'vada' of south India, 'khaja', 'inarsa', ‘sattu’’ and ‘Kabab’ of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and 'Puran Poli' of Maharashtra. 

Kumar informed that “Make in India” is a flagship program Prime Minister Narendra Modi designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, to protect intellectual property and to build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure for products made in India. (KNN Bureau)