Editorial 1: From farm to shelf
Context
Gyanish Kumar Mishra, a young entrepreneur, with support from the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, has transformed a traditional crop — foxnut, or makhana — into a nationally recognised brand of flavoured snacks.
A remarkable arc of change
- History reflects the broader vision of India’s food processing mission: To turn local strengths into global opportunities.
- From Kashmir to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, micro-entrepreneurs are embracing formalisation and entering new markets.
- There is a structural transformation underway, aligning the strength of rural India with the momentum of national growth.
- With reforms to enhance Ease of Doing Business, industries today are empowered with greater autonomy and policy support.
- Amidst this broader transformation, the food processing sector has emerged as one of the most potent instruments of inclusive growth, agri-industrial integration, and global engagement.
Initiatives to encourage
- A few years ago, the food processing landscape was fragmented, with rampant post-harvest losses and unrealised value from agricultural produce.
- In 2014, the gross value addition of the sector stood at Rs 1.34 lakh crore. Today, following sustained policy focus and institutional drive, that figure has risen to Rs 2.24 lakh crore.
- At the forefront of this transformation stands the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, whose flagship schemes have created a supportive environment across the entire spectrum of the food processing sector.
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, numerous projects have boosted food processing capacity, attracted major private investment, benefited farmers, and generated significant employment.
- Launched under Atmanirbhar Bharat, the PMFME scheme aims to empower unorganised micro food enterprises through formalisation, training, and credit access. It has supported thousands of loans and SHG members across the country.
- A robust foundation for skill development and entrepreneurship has been laid under the scheme, with over one lakh individuals trained across the country.
- To foster innovation and support early-stage enterprises, 75 incubation centres have been approved.
- The scheme has also launched 17 distinctive regional brands, each rooted in local heritage.
- Further along the value chain, the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries is catalysing industrial capacity and formal job creation.
Boosting Food Processing and Innovation
- To boost food safety and export readiness, the Union Budget 2024–25 announced 50 multi-product irradiation units to cut post-harvest losses and 100 NABL-accredited labs to enhance quality assurance across the value chain.
- Further, in a landmark step to promote regional specialties, the government has also announced the establishment of a National Makhana Board, aimed at boosting value addition, branding, and global positioning of this unique superfood from India.
- NIFTEM-Kundli and NIFTEM-Thanjavur, Institutes of National Importance, functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries are shaping the next generation of food technologists and entrepreneurs.
- India’s growing leadership in the global food economy finds powerful expression through World Food India — the Ministry’s flagship international platform for investment, innovation, and collaboration.
- Yet, the most profound impact of this decade remains rooted in rural India. Food processing has become a force for grassroots transformation.
- In Bastar, Chhattisgarh, a tribal kitchen supported by the PMFME scheme has turned Mahua flowers into products like chocolates and tea, preserving heritage while reaching national and global markets.
Conclusion
Our goal is unambiguous: To ensure that every shelf in the world carries a product that proudly bears the name of India — and behind every such product stands a story of collective prosperity and national pride.