**Executive Summary**
This document is a statement by the Minister of Food Processing Industries in response to starred question *169 in Lok Sabha, answered on December 11th, 2025, regarding the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. It provides details on government initiatives and schemes aimed at reducing food loss and waste in India. The statement reports on activities undertaken and ongoing efforts.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste:**
* Observed annually on September 29th to promote awareness and collective action.
* In September 2023, India participated in the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, sharing its efforts to create awareness of food loss and waste.
* **Global Food Loss Estimates:**
* Globally, approximately 13% of food is lost after harvest but before reaching retail (2021).
* **Harvest and Post-Harvest Loss Estimates in India:**
* Presents percentage loss estimates for various agricultural products based on studies conducted by ICAR-CIPHET (2015) and NABCONS (2022), covering cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, milk, fisheries, meat, poultry, and eggs.
* **Government Schemes and Initiatives:**
* Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements three schemes to support the development of the food processing sector:
* Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY): Implemented since 2017-18, includes components like integrated cold chains, food processing capacity expansion, Operation Greens, agro-processing clusters, etc. As of October 31st, 2025, 1,181 projects have been completed, creating a processing and preservation capacity of 269.61 LMT/annum.
* "PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme": Provides support for setting up/upgrading micro food processing enterprises. Operational from 2020-21 to 2025-26. As of October 31st, 2025, 1,62,744 loans have been sanctioned.
* Central Sector Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI): Aims to support global food manufacturing champions. Implemented over six years (2021-22 to 2026-27).
* Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Initiatives:
* Formed the Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA).
* Framed "Food Safety and Standards (Recovery and Distribution of Surplus food) Regulation, 2019".
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing and overseeing the schemes aimed at reducing food loss and waste.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the PMKSY, PMFME, and PLISFPI schemes effectively.
**Farmers and Food Producers**
* **Impact:** Benefit from reduced post-harvest losses, increased value addition, and better returns for their produce.
* **Action Required:** Participate in the schemes and initiatives offered by MoFPI and FSSAI.
**Micro Food Processing Enterprises**
* **Impact:** Receive financial, technical, and business support for upgrading their operations.
* **Action Required:** Apply for support under the PMFME scheme and utilize the resources available.
**Consumers**
* **Impact:** Benefit from a more efficient food supply chain, potentially leading to lower prices and increased food security.
* **Action Required:** No action required.
**Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA) and partner organizations**
* **Impact:** Play a role in implementing initiatives to recover surplus food and reduce food waste.
* **Action Required:** IFSA should recover more surplus food, reduce food waste and increase the donation to people in need.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI): The central ministry responsible for implementing schemes and policies related to food processing and reducing food loss and waste.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY): A central sector scheme implemented across India, focusing on integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses.
PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme: A centrally sponsored scheme providing financial, technical, and business support for micro food processing enterprises.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI): A central sector scheme to support the creation of global food manufacturing champions and Indian brands.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): The authority that has formed the Indian Food Sharing Alliance (IFSA) and framed regulations to promote food donation and prevent food loss and waste.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *169
ANSWERED ON 11TH DECEMBER, 2025
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF AWARENESS OF FOOD LOSS AND WASTE
*169. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:
SHRI EATALA RAJENDER:
Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government observed the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and
Waste and is aware that nearly one-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted and
substantial post-harvest losses across multiple Food Processing Industries in the country
shows the alarmingly high losses throughout the agricultural spectrum; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken by the Government to reduce food
loss and waste in the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI CHIRAG PASWAN)
(a) & (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) AND (b) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *169 FOR ANSWER ON 11TH DECEMBER, 2025 REGARDING
“INTERNATIONAL DAY OF AWARENESS OF FOOD LOSS AND WASTE”
(a) & (b) The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), based in Rome organises various events
to create awareness, promote collective efforts and actions to prevent and reduce food loss and waste
including through the Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste
(TPFLW) hosted by FAO. The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is observed
on 29 September every year with an aim to promote awareness and collective action to reduce food
loss and waste.
In September 2023, FAO invited India to participate in the International Day of Awareness of Food
Loss and Waste. Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the Rome Based Agencies
represented India in the event at FAO and shared India’s efforts to create awareness of food loss and
waste including initiatives for addressing this matter in agriculture sector.
Globally, as per FAO, an estimated 13 percent of food, the equivalent of 1.25 billion tonnes was lost
globally after harvest and prior to reaching retail shelves in 2021.
Further, as per studies conducted by Indian Council for Agricultural Research – Central Institute of
Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology (ICAR-CIPHET), 2015 and NABARD Consultancy Service
Pvt. Ltd (NABCONS), 2022, the estimated percentage of Harvest and Post-Harvest loss of various
agricultural produce in India is as follows:
Crops/ Commodities Estimated Percentage Loss
As per ICAR- As per NABCONS
CIPHET Study study (2022)
(2015)
Cereals 4.65 - 5.99 3.89-5.92
Pulses 6.36 - 8.41 5.65-6.74
Oil Seeds 3.08 - 9.96 2.87-7.51
Fruits 6.70-15.88 6.02-15.05
Vegetables 4.58-12.44 4.87-11.61
Plantation Crops & 1.18-7.89 1.29-7.33
Spices
Milk 0.92 0.87
Fisheries (Inland) 5.23 4.86Fisheries (Marine) 10.52 8.76
Meat 2.71 2.34
Poultry 6.74 5.63
Egg 7.19 6.03
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) supports the creation and expansion of the
processing/preservation capacities through implementation of three schemes for the overall
development of food processing sector, including creation of modern infrastructure with efficient
supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlets, reduce post-harvest losses and create value-
addition, providing better returns to farmers, creation of employment opportunities, increasing the
processing levels and enhancing the export of processed foods. Brief of these three schemes being
implemented by MoFPI are as under:
i. Central Sector scheme- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY):
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented since 2017-18 across
the country. The component schemes under PMKSY are (i) Integrated Cold Chain & Value
Addition Infrastructure (ii) Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities
(CEFPPC scheme), (iii) Operation Greens (OG scheme), (iv) Creation of Infrastructure for Agro
Processing Clusters (APC scheme), (v) Mega Food Parks (MFP scheme- discontinued w.e.f.
01.04.2021) and (vi) Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages (CBFL scheme- discontinued
w.e.f. 01.04.2021). Under these component schemes, MoFPI provides financial support in the
form of grants-in-aid/ subsidy for setting up of food processing projects thereby creating both
processing and preservation infrastructure facilities including cold chain infrastructure. A total
of 1619 projects have been sanctioned across the country since inception under PMKSY, out of
which 1181 projects have been completed as on 31st October, 2025 creating processing and
preservation capacity of 269.61 LMT/ annum (Lakh Metric Tonne).
ii. Centrally sponsored "PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME)
Scheme:
MoFPI provides financial, technical and business support for setting up/ upgradation of micro
food processing enterprises in the country under "Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food
Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. The support is provided for potential entrepreneurs
for all the products including One District One Product (ODOP) products. The scheme is
operational from 2020-21 to 2025-26 with total outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore. As of 31st October
2025, 3,86,686 applications have been sent to banks and out of which 1,62,744 loans have beensanctioned with term loan amount of approx. Rs. 13230 crore. Seed Capital support of Rs.
1244.95 Crore has been sanctioned for 3,65,935 women self-help group (SHG) members.
iii. Central Sector Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries
(PLISFPI):
Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI) of MoFPI is
intended, inter alia, to support creation of global food manufacturing champions and support
Indian brands of food products in international market. The scheme is being implemented over a
six-year period from 2021-22 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs.10,900 crores. Under PLISFPI a
total of 170 applications have been approved, with beneficiaries reporting investment of ₹9,032
crore and receiving incentive of ₹2162.55 crore. The scheme has generated more than 3.40 lakh
employment (direct and indirect) against target of 2.5 lakh by the year 2026-27 and created
processing capacity of 35.14 LMT/ annum (Lakh Metric Tonne).
Further, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has formed the Indian Food
Sharing Alliance (IFSA) with an aim to address India’s food waste and hunger crisis by
integrating various partner organizations, Food Recovery Agencies and NGO’s. IFSA aims to
recover the surplus food generated, reduce the amount of food waste generated and increase the
amount of safe and nutritious food donated to those in need. FSSAI has framed regulations “Food
Safety and Standards (Recovery and Distribution of Surplus food) Regulation, 2019” to
promulgate food donation drive and prevent food loss and waste in India.
*****