**Executive Summary**
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1822 regarding jaggery production, to be answered on February 10, 2026. It details the government's recognition and support for the jaggery industry through various schemes and initiatives. It also highlights the FSSAI regulations and AICRP efforts to improve jaggery processing and quality.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Recognition and Support:**
* Jaggery production is recognized as a village industry under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Scheme of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME).
* The sector's traditional importance, nutritional value, and contribution to rural livelihoods are acknowledged.
* **Promotion and Incentivization:**
* The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is incentivizing jaggery processing through Central Sector Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.
* Projects under these schemes must comply with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.
* Alignment with international food safety and quality standards is encouraged for improved market access.
* **Standards and Research:**
* The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified jaggery standards under sub-regulation 2.8.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
* The All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) at the Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ISRI) is working on jaggery handling, processing, storage, and protocols for quality manufacturing in accordance with FSSAI norms.
**Impact Analysis**
**Jaggery Producers**
* **Impact**
* They benefit from government recognition and support through MSME and MoFPI schemes.
* They are required to comply with FSSAI regulations.
* **Action Required**
* Comply with FSSAI food safety regulations.
* Take advantage of government schemes for infrastructure and market access.
* Adopt improved handling and processing protocols developed by AICRP.
**Consumers**
* **Impact**
* Assured of food safety standards for jaggery products.
* Potentially benefit from improved quality jaggery products.
* **Action Required**
* No direct action required.
**Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)**
* **Impact**
* Responsible for enforcing jaggery standards.
* **Action Required**
* Enforce standards for jaggery production.
**Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)**
* **Impact**
* Responsible for incentivising the food processing sector.
* **Action Required**
* Continue to facilitate related infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Regulator that sets the standards for food safety in India, including standards for jaggery.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The ministry responsible for matters relating to agriculture and farmers' welfare, which the question is directed to.
Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme: A centrally sponsored scheme to promote the food processing sector including jaggery processing enterprises.
Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP): A scheme under which the manufacture of jaggery falls as a recognised village industry.
Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME): Ministry overseeing PMEGP, relevant as jaggery production falls under village industry purview.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1822
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026
JAGGERY PRODUCTION
1822. SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY :
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government recognises the traditional, nutritional and livelihood significance of
jaggery (gur), which supports small farmers, MSMEs and rural employment, particularly in
sugarcane-growing regions;
(b) whether the Government is aware that despite minimal processing, jaggery production
remains largely unorganised and faces challenges relating to quality standardisation,
branding, market access and value addition, unlike the organised sugar sector;
(c) whether any assessment has been made comparing policy support, institutional
mechanisms and market facilitation available to the sugar industry vis-à-vis traditional
jaggery producers;
(d) whether the Government proposes to promote jaggery and value-added jaggery products
through appropriate schemes under MSME, agriculture, nutrition, AYUSH or export
promotion programmes, without compromising food safety standards; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (e): Under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Scheme of
the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), manufacture of cane gur, khandsari
and jaggery is a recognised village industry and this comes under the purview of Khadi and
Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The sector is acknowledged for its traditional importance,
nutritional value and contribution to rural livelihoods, particularly in sugarcane-growing regions.
Further, in order to promote food processing sector including jaggery processing
industries across the country, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been
incentivizing the setting up/expansion of related infrastructure through its Central Sector
Schemes namely Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) Scheme, Production
Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and Centrally Sponsored –
Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. These
projects are required to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
regulations and are encouraged to align with international food safety and quality standards for
improved market access including exports.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the standards of
Jaggery (Gud) under sub-regulation 2.8.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products
Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
A centre of the All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Post-Harvest
Engineering Technology at the Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ISRI), Lucknow is working
on jaggery handling, processing and storage and to develop protocols for quality jaggery
manufacturing in accordance with FSSAI norms.
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