Government reducing compliances in food processing sector: Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel

Prahlad Singh Patel (Image: Twitter/@ANI)

The government is focusing on reducing compliances further to promote the food processing sector, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel said on Wednesday.

Addressing the '14th FIcci Foodworld India The Global Convention for Food Business and Industry', Patel highlighted the need to enhance the marketing and branding of Indian food processing sector and products.

"The government is fully committed to supporting the industry and find solutions to the problems. We also need to further simplify the existing schemes by removing the bottlenecks and industry will play a critical role in this," he said. The government’s focus is on reducing compliances to support the industry and the sector, he said.

To boost the sector, he said, the government has already stepped up incubation centres to support the industry and innovation. The government is taking continuous steps to improve the food processing sector, including the introduction of a PLI scheme for the sector, he stated.

He further said the government is taking measures to not only cater to the domestic markets but also to global demand for processed foods. The Indian food processing sector will be the backbone in achieving the USD 5 trillion economy target.

"There is a need to further strengthen the trust in the consumers for processed foods and the government along with industry have to work towards it," the minister added.

The Indian food processing industry played an important role during Covid-19, former secretary of Food Precessing Industry Siraj Hussain, who was present on the occasion, said.

He also stressed improving and creating a market for the primary food processing market. Unless we encourage the primary food processing market, we will not be able to establish a direct linkage of the food processing sector with the farmers, he added.