Parliament Question: High Potential Agricultural and Food Products

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 797 ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2026 HIGH POTENTIAL AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PRODUCTS 797. MS. S JOTHIMANI: Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has identified high potential agricultural and food products for value addition and prepared product-specific development strategies to enhance processing, quality, and export readiness and if so, details thereof; (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to strengthen value chain for such products through processing infrastructure, common facilities, cold chain, food testing laboratories, packaging, branding and quality certification; (c) the measures taken to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and start-ups in developing value-added food products and improving their competitiveness in domestic as well as in international markets; (d) whether the Government has prepared district-specific implementation roadmaps for products identified under One District One Product (ODOP) initiative to promote value addition, processing, branding and exports and if so, the details thereof; and (e) the future roadmap to position India as a global hub for value-added food products through innovation, technology adoption, product diversification and private sector? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH) (a) to (e): Keeping in view potential of development of Food Processing sector, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been incentivizing setting up/ expansion of related infrastructure, through its two Central Sector Scheme viz. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and a Centrally sponsored PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. These schemes are demand driven and implemented across the country. PLISFPI is, inter alia, intended to support creation of global food manufacturing champions and support Indian brands of food products in international market. One component of the Scheme focuses for incentive support to four distinct categories of food product segments viz. Ready to Cook (RTC) / Ready to Eat (RTE) foods including Milletbased products, processed fruits & vegetables, marine products and mozzarella cheese. Second component relates to production of innovative / organic products of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in these four segments. Another component of the Scheme focuses on support for branding and marketing abroad to incentivize emergence of strong Indian brands. Under Operation Greens-Long Term Interventions, a component schemes of PMKSY, MoFPI is providing financial assistance for value chain development of 10 fruit crops, 11 vegetable crops and shrimp in the identified production clusters. The production clusters for these crops are identified based on the horticultural production data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in consultation with the Horticulture Departments of the respective states. MoFPI is strengthening value chains, enhancing productivity and value addition of the products through an integrated approach by supporting the creation and modernization of food processing infrastructure under various component schemes of PMKSY, including Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Mega Food Parks, Agro Processing Clusters, Creation/Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities and Food Testing Laboratories. Financial assistance is provided for primary processing centres, collection centres, warehousing, cold storage, packaging, logistics, quality assurance infrastructure, food safety compliance, branding and marketing under the schemes implemented by MoFPI. Ministry provides subsidy/incentives to the eligible applicants including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), cooperatives, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Start-ups under schemes implemented by MoFPI. For Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), quantum of grant under the PMKSY is provided at enhanced level of 50% of eligible project cost, in comparison to 35% for proposals from general areas (Subject to the maximum ceiling under respective sub-schemes). In order to align food processing infrastructure with export requirements, international standards and market access, MoFPI is implementing “PLISFPI” to support creation of global food manufacturing champions and support Indian brands of food products in international market. One District One Product (ODOP) approach under PMFME Scheme has been adopted to reap the benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. It provides the framework for value chain development and alignment of support infrastructure. The ODOP are identified by States / UTs based on the agriculture production, raw material availability, perishability of the product etc. As on date, 137 unique ODOP products have been identified across 726 districts in 35 States/UTs, under the PMFME Scheme.With the objective to boost investments and sourcing of Indian food products, MoFPI had organized four editions of World Food India (WFI) during the years 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025 which serve a premier platform to highlight investment opportunities and advancements in food processing by facilitating their integration into domestic and international markets. The event brings global food processing companies, innovators, supply chain stakeholders, equipment manufacturers, etc. on a collaborative platform and provide foreign companies with tie-up/ business opportunities with its Indian counterparts. In addition, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM) Kundli and NIFTEM, Thanjavur, under administrative control of MoFPI, are also engaged in R&D activities, innovation, technology adoption & product diversification in the food processing sector. *****