PM Modi applauds India’s investor friendly policies in food sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India’s investor-friendly policies are propelling the country’s food sector to new heights. Speaking at the inaugural session of the second edition of the Mega food event ‘World Food India 2023’ in the national capital, the Prime Minister also noted the significant rise in demand for packaged food, which is creating opportunities for India’s farmers, start-ups, and entrepreneurs.

In the past nine years, PM Modi highlighted that the food processing sector has received 50,000 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He emphasized that India has achieved remarkable growth in every aspect of the food processing industry, and the country’s food diversity is an asset for global investors.

Acknowledging the evolution of India’s sustainable food culture over thousands of years, Modi mentioned the link between food habits and Ayurveda established by our ancestors. He also commended the natural leadership abilities of women in India in the food processing industry. Furthermore, he pointed out that 2023 marks the International Year of Millets, emphasizing the importance of millets as a key component of our ‘superfood bucket.’

The Prime Minister also suggested of adopting the method of mitigating food wastage, saying “it is a significant endeavour in realising the objective of a sustainable lifestyle.”
“Our products should be designed to minimize wastage,” added the Prime Minister while addressing the gathering in the event which was also attended by Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Pashupati Kumar Paras, Prahlad Singh Patel and Parshottam Rupala.

The World Food India 2023’ event aims to showcase India as ‘food basket of the world’ and celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets. It will provide a networking and business platform for government bodies, industry professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to engage in discussions, establish partnerships, and explore investment opportunities in the agri-food sector. CEOs roundtables will take place with a focus on investment and Ease of Doing Business.

Various pavilions are set up to showcase the innovation and strength of the Indian food processing industry. The event will host 48 sessions focusing on various aspects of the food processing industry, with an emphasis on financial empowerment, quality assurance and innovations in machinery and technology.

The event is poised to host participants from over 80 countries, including CEOs of prominent food processing companies. It will also feature a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet, with over 1,200 overseas buyers from more than 80 countries. The Netherlands will serve as the partner country, while Japan will be the event’s focus country.