Indore CII Conference: Stress Laid On Innovation & Growth In Food Processing

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Innovation, growth and sustainability were required in the potential rich food processing sector which had a huge scope in the domestic as well as international market, said experts at a one-day conference organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) on Thursday.

The conference brought together industry leaders, policymakers, experts and stakeholders under the crucial theme of ‘Growth, Innovation and Sustainability in Food Processing.’ The participants explored strategies to accelerate growth, foster groundbreaking innovations and embed sustainable practices across the entire food value chain.

Himanshu Prajapati, executive director, MPIDC, Indore Regional Office inaugurated the conference. He focused on upcoming industrial projects for food processing industries and also discussed plans at the policy level.

Main points of conference

-The Indian food processing industry has shown remarkable resilience and it is on a powerful growth trajectory. With a market size projected to reach over $700 billion by 2030, the sector is a key contributor to India’s GDP, manufacturing output and employment. The demand for convenience foods, value-added products and exports is soaring, creating unprecedented opportunities.

-To sustain the growth, innovation must be embraced. This means moving beyond traditional methods and adopting digitalization. The transformative impact of automation, robotics and blockchain for traceability is already being seen. From smart packaging that extends shelf life to advanced preservation techniques like high-pressure processing, innovation is not a luxury but a necessity.

The challenge of food wastage, which is estimated to be around 68 million tonnes annually in India, is a serious concern. There should be a zero-waste environment.

Sustainability in the sector means adopting green practices, conserving water and energy, and promoting eco-friendly packaging. It also means ensuring social equity, fair prices for farmers and safe working conditions. It should be remembered that a sustainable industry is a resilient industry-one that can thrive for generations to come.