Roundtables and B2B meetings being planned
World Food India 2019, to be held 1-4 November 2019, will be the biggest gathering of all global and domestic stakeholders in Food Processing Sector.
WFI 2019 will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World, said Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal announcing the mega event in Delhi on 17 June 2019.
She chaired a meeting with various stakeholders of WFI 2019 including the associated Ministries and Departments, CEOs of major food processing companies and Industry Associations.
Badal also met Ambassadors and High Commissioners of leading food processing/food retailing countries.
The meetings discussed investment opportunities available in India in the Food Processing Sector.
WFI 2019 will have several top level seminars, investment opportunities, exhibitions, high level CEO roundtables, country sessions, B2B and B2G networking etc.
The Ministry is targeting to partner with at least 15 countries and participation from at least 80 countries at the event tagged: “Forging Partnerships for Growth”.
More than 11 international and 8 domestic roadshows are planned for WFI 2019, said Badal at the roundtable with all top CEOs and ambassadors.
In a bid to showcase the intent of ministry to engage with Industry-domestic and global, Ministry will reach out to all the states and other players in Industry in particularly the MSMEs over the next few months, said the Ministry.
The Minister also invited suggestions from the industry on the 4-day event.
Elaborating, Badal said “Food processing is one of the six superstar sectors under the Government of India’s Make in India initiative and has the potential to transform India as a leading food processing destination of the World.”
Food processing is critical to doubling the farmers’ income in India and reducing food wastage.
The industry has recorded 11% growth rate, which is twice the pace of Global Industry. The sector has recorded double digit growth rate across all major sub-segments of the sectors both in terms of value and volume.
But food processing levels in India remain low at 7.7% behind several economies such as China, Malaysia and US.
India’s share in global exports of processed food is only 2%.
Besides, India also has a high share of harvest and post-harvest losses from major agricultural produces on account of poor storage, transportation and logistics to the extent of Rs.92,651 crores (US$13 billion) which is three times the agricultural budget.
The first World Food India 2017 attracted participation of 61 countries, ministers from several countries and India, 60 Global CEOs and eminent academicians.
The event saw a footfall of more than 75,000 with over 8,000 B2B meetings and MoUs worth US$14 billion signed. fiinews.com
