**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) collaborates with various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to identify, adopt, and scale up modern food preservation and processing technologies. This is being done to reduce post-harvest losses, improve food safety, and enhance value addition for farmers. The collaborations are undertaken through consultations, convergence schemes, technical advisory mechanisms, and institutional partnerships. The document outlines specific collaborations and schemes for achieving these objectives.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Collaboration and Coordination:**
* MoFPI collaborates with various Ministries and Departments for modern food preservation and processing technologies.
* Collaborations involve inter-ministerial consultations, scheme convergence, technical advisory mechanisms, and institutional partnerships.
* The Technical Committee for evaluation of financial assistance applications includes representatives from the Department of Atomic Energy and APEDA.
* **PMKSY Scheme Integration:**
* Irradiation facilities are supported through the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme of PMKSY.
* MoFPI consults with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Department of Atomic Energy for food irradiation technologies.
* Applicants for irradiation facilities must submit an agreement with a designated agency of the Department of Atomic Energy for source supply.
* **PMFME Scheme Implementation:**
* States/UTs have appointed State Nodal Agencies and constituted State Level and District Level Committees for PMFME Scheme implementation.
* MoFPI has signed MoUs/Joint Letters with multiple Ministries to promote the PMFME Scheme.
* A SOP has been signed with the Ministry of Agriculture for convergence of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme with the PMFME Scheme.
* **Export Alignment:**
* MoFPI works with APEDA to align food processing infrastructure with export requirements, international standards, and market access.
* **Emerging Technologies:**
* MoFPI encourages adoption of emerging technologies, such as controlled temperature/ventilated vehicles and marketing infrastructure.
* **Production Linked Incentive Scheme:**
* The "Production Linked Incentive Scheme" supports the creation of global food manufacturing champions and Indian brands.
* **World Food India (WFI) Events:**
* MoFPI organized four editions of World Food India (WFI) in 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to promote investment and advancements in the food processing sector.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
* **Impact**: Benefit from reduced post-harvest losses, improved food safety, and enhanced value addition through access to modern technologies and infrastructure.
* **Action Required**: Participate in available schemes, adopt new technologies, and explore export opportunities.
**Food Processing Enterprises (including Micro Enterprises, FPOs, SHGs)**
* **Impact**: Improved access to financial assistance, technology, export markets, and infrastructure for enhancing production and processing capabilities.
* **Action Required**: Apply for relevant schemes, implement export-oriented food processing practices, and take advantage of technical support and capacity building initiatives.
**Government Agencies (Ministries, Departments, APEDA, Atomic Energy)**
* **Impact**: Need to collaborate and coordinate efforts to support the adoption of modern food preservation and processing technologies and ensure the effectiveness of related schemes and programs.
* **Action Required**: Participate in inter-ministerial consultations, provide technical support, streamline regulatory processes, and facilitate access to funding and infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI): The primary ministry responsible for modern food preservation and processing technologies.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY): A scheme under which the Ministry of Food Processing Industries collaborates with various Ministries and Departments to promote modern food preservation and processing technologies
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): An export-promotion and regulatory body that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries coordinates with.
Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme: A scheme under which all States/UTs have appointed State Nodal Agency, constituted State Level Approval committee & District Level Committee for implementation.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2136
ANSWERED ON 12TH FEBRUARY, 2026
MODERN FOOD PRESERVATION AND PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES
2136. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:
Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Ministry is collaborating with other Ministries and Departments of the
Government to identify, adopt, and scale up diverse forms of modern food preservation
and processing technologies aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving food
safety and enhancing value addition for farmers and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether such collaborations include engagement with scientific and technical
departments such as the Department of Atomic Energy, inter alia, for specialised
technologies such as food irradiation along with other emerging preservation and
processing methods and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Ministry has established or proposes to establish convergence mechanisms
with export-promotion and regulatory bodies, including the APEDA, to align food
processing infrastructure with export requirements, international standards and market
access;
(d) if so, the details of such inter-ministerial and inter-agency coordination; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor and the steps being taken to strengthen institutional
convergence in the food processing ecosystem?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)
(a) to (e): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) collaborates with various
Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to identify, adopt and promote modern
food preservation and processing technologies with the objectives of reducing post-harvest
losses, improving food safety and enhancing value addition for farmers. Such collaboration is
undertaken through inter-ministerial consultations, scheme convergence, technical advisory
mechanisms and institutional partnerships.
Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) Scheme, representatives
of line Ministries / Departments, including Department of Atomic Energy and Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), are members of the
Technical Committee for evaluation of the applications received for financial assistance.
Setting up of Irradiation facilities are supported through Integrated Cold Chain and Value
Addition Infrastructure Scheme of PMKSY. MoFPI consulted with Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre, Department of Atomic Energy for specialized technologies such as food irradiation for
ensuring compliance, enhancing shelf life and improving food safety. Applicants also have to
submit an agreement with designated agency of Department of Atomic Energy for the supply
of source of food irradiation.Under Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME)
Scheme, all the States/ UTs have appointed State Nodal Agency, constituted State Level
Approval committee & District Level Committee for implementation of the scheme. MoFPI
under PMFME Scheme has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) / Joint Letters with
the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
(MoHUA), Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), National Cooperative Development
Corporation (NCDC), National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation
(NSTFDC), National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC),
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Animal Husbandry and
Dairying (DAHD), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Further, a Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP) has been signed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare for convergence of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme with the
PMFME Scheme, enabling micro food processing enterprises, Farmer Producer Organizations
(FPO), Self Help Groups (SHG) and cooperatives to access institutional credit.
In addition, MoFPI works in close coordination with the Agricultural and Processed
Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to align food processing
infrastructure with export requirements, international quality standards and market access,
including capacity building of enterprises, quality certification, and promotion of export-
oriented food processing. These arrangements facilitate technical support, capacity building,
credit linkage, quality and food safety compliance, and inclusive participation of cooperatives,
SHGs, and SC/ST entrepreneurs in the food processing sector.
Further, MoFPI, through its schemes, encourages adoption of other emerging
technologies such as Controlled temperature/ ventilated vehicle and Marketing
Infrastructure (Retail chain of outlets for perishable products with facilities such as frozen
storage/ cold room/ cold storage/ deep freezers/ refrigerated display cabinets/ chillers/
packing/ packaging/ ripening chamber etc.) as part of its preservation and processing
methods.
In order to align food processing infrastructure with export requirements, international
standards and market access, MoFPI is implementing “Production Linked Incentive scheme”
for Food Processing Sector with an outlay of Rs 10,900 Crore to support creation of global
food manufacturing champions and support Indian brands of food products in international
market.
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.
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