India targets to double food processing capacity in next 6-7 years: Official

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) The government aims to double its food processing capacity over the next 6-7 years from the current 12-13 per cent, a top official said on Tuesday.

Secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries Avinash Joshi made the remarks while addressing a press conference here.

The doubling of food processing capacity is bound to create a lot of employment opportunities and will also help increase farmers' income, he noted.

"Today we process around 12 to 13 per cent of our agro products, and we are targeting that in the next six to seven years, we are going to double that. What does that mean? That means till now, whatever we have done in the last 80 years, the same thing will replicate in the next 6 or 7 years," the Secretary said.

Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director at NIFTEM-Kundli, said: "We are the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, and among that, we are the largest producer of mango. In processing, we are a little behind many countries, including Thailand, Mexico and the Philippines; they are far ahead of us as far as processing levels are concerned".

He was speaking on the sidelines of an event to announce the "Advanced Next Generation Vision for Emerging and Sustainable Healthy Foods (ANVESH) being organised from February 26-28 at NIFTEM, Kundli.

NIFTEM is a premier food technology institution under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Speaking to reporters here, the Secretary said an "International show in NIFTEM Kundli is a large-scale international conference, which will attract 33 speakers from 25 countries, and 61 exhibitors are also set to participate in the exhibition being held at the show". PTI RSN BAL BAL