The Food Processing Industry sector in India is one of the largest in terms of production, consumption, export and growth prospects. The Government has accorded it a high priority, with a number of fiscal reliefs and incentives to encourage commercialization and value addition to agricultural produce; for minimizing pre/post harvest wastage, generating employment and export growth.

The industry in the organized sector has over 516 flourmills, 418 fish freezing / processing, 5198 fruit/vegetable processing units, and 171 meat-processing units. While India is the world's second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, but hardly 2% of the produce is processed. Known worldwide as the land of spices, India produces many varieties worth over Rs. 35 billion (US $ 900 million) amounting to 25-30% of world production, which is processed for value addition and export. It grows 22 million tonnes of oilseeds covering most of the varieties. Other important plantation products include tea, coffee, cocoa and cashew.

The large marine product and processing potential with varied fish resources stretches along the 8041 km. long coastline, 28000 km. of rivers and millions of hectares of reservoirs & brackish water. India's livestock population is the largest in the world with 50% of world's buffaloes and 20% of cattles. But only about 1% of total meat production is converted into value added products. India is also known as the largest milk producer in the world and about 15% of the total milk production is processed through the organized sector. Size of the semi-processed and ready to eat packaged food industry is over Rs. 40 billion (US $ 1 billion) and is growing at over 20%.
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Bakery industry in India is probably the largest among the processed food industries, production of which has been increasing steadily in the country. The two major bakery industries, viz., bread and biscuit account for about 82% of the total bakery products. The annual production of bakery products which includes bread, biscuits, pastries, cakes, buns, rusk, etc., most of which are in the unorganized sector, is estimated to be in excess of 3 million tonnes. The production of bread and biscuits in the country both in the organized and unorganized sectors is estimated to be around 1.5 million tonnes and 1.1 million tonnes respectively. Of the total production of bread and biscuits, about 35% is produced in the organized sector and the remaining is manufactured in the unorganized sector.

Another wheat-based product known by its generic name, pasta, comprising of noodles, vermicelli, macaroni and spaghetti is gaining popularity. The production of pasta products in the organized sector has registered a marginal increase, while the growth in the unorganized sector is comparatively higher.
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Ms. G�lcan Bulut
Tel: ++49 221 821-2262
[email protected]