New Delhi, Sept 15 (KNN) With the objective of tapping new markets and identifying new opportunities for trade and investment, Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), has constituted three committees focusing on Food & Beverages, Food Processing Technology and Chemical and Allied Products.

TPCI has constituted these committees to give handholding to the industry which will act as a think tank, submitting its suggestions and recommendations to the government for policies to boost exports.

Laxman Singh Rathore, President – International Business of Ramdev Food Products Pvt. Ltd. was elected the Chairman of the sector specific committee on food and beverages while Vivek Agrawal, Managing Director of Capital Venture Pvt. Ltd. was selected as the Vice Chair of the Committee.

''This Committee will be promoting Indian F&B products globally and facilitate Indian F&B products to reach the mainstream retail shelves across the world,'' TPCI said.

Elected Chairman Laxman Singh Rathore said, “The genesis for constituting this F&B Committee was primarily based on making our trade promotion activity more robust, so as to include the industry players in the process of promoting bilateral/ multilateral trade. The purpose was to ensure exporters’ inputs are made integral to the policies and processes for growing export as one of the key stakeholders - in drawing up the action plans and trade agreements.”

“The industry led by TPCI can highlight important issues which exporters face on a day-to-day basis. Some of the pressing issues like unavailability of containers, simplification of procedures, expanding the market, putting our products on the mainstream shelves, etc. could be taken up with the government for boosting exports,” said Vivek Agrawal, elected Vice President.

The second committee constituted related to Food Processing Technology will seek to facilitate India’s food processing and packaging machineries and technology globally.

R Senguttuvan, CEO of ITC Limited (Printing & Packaging Division) was elected as the Chairman of the Committee and Sanjay Grover, Vice President – International Business of Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Committee.

Senguttuvan after being elected said, “as chairman would like to give a thrust to the Indian Food Processing Technology area, becoming an International bench mark devising and following practices that will help the market to grow and exports to increase substantially.”

“I am confident that this Food Processing Sectoral committee under the aegis of TPCI will endeavour to engage with all the stakeholders to improve efficiency, productivity, excellence and customize best global practices to encourage Indian entrepreneurs to create new "Local Global Champions," said Sanjay Grover, of Kirloskar who is elected Vice president.

The third Committee on Chemical will now be chaired by Manish Shah, Managing Director of Tanya Exports. Kapil Malhotra, Sr. Vice President - Marketing of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd. was elected as the Vice Chair of the Committee, TPCI announced.

The objective of the Committee is to explore and develop a niche market strategy and plan for revamping the chemical sector in India.

“The committee of Chemical & Allied Products, will help the industry by drawing the attention of the government and industrialists towards major issues and policies that are existing in the current scenario. The committee will also work for gathering the insights of the market by talking to the industrialists and market leaders,” said Chairman of Chemical, Manish Shah.

Kapil Malhotra, elected Vice Chairman said, “Chemical sector in India is seeing a lot of new business opportunities post the Chinese related problems globally. The world is looking at India for filling the gaps which are going to be created in future especially in the Speciality Chemicals and the API segment.”

These Committees will meet regularly and will represent the demand and concerns of the industry at various forums.