Delilah D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai

Mumbai, May 21: The Central government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the food processing sector has attracted investments worth Rs 7,000 crore and generated over 2.5 lakh jobs so far, according to Ranjit Singh, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Speaking at FICCI’s 'Foodworld India' event, he said that nearly 1,600 projects have been funded under the scheme, leading to the creation of 41 lakh tonnes of food processing capacity and benefiting around nine lakh farmers across India.

Singh highlighted the vital role of food processing in agricultural diversification, reducing post-harvest losses, adding value to produce, and supporting exports. He said that India’s farm sector has massive untapped potential and, with the right policy support, domestic manufacturing can play a key role in making India self-reliant and a major player in the global food market.

To realise this potential, Singh emphasized the need to improve processing, packaging, storage, and distribution systems so that India’s food products meet both domestic and international standards. He noted that several government initiatives are supporting the sector’s growth. The Kisan Sampada Yojana, an umbrella scheme, is helping to develop cold chains, agro-processing clusters, food testing infrastructure, and R&D facilities.

The Ministry is also implementing the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, which aims to encourage infrastructure development, innovation, and entrepreneurship across India. This scheme has supported nearly two lakh micro-enterprises in the last five years through credit-linked subsidies and infrastructure upgrades. Singh added that these efforts are not only boosting the economy but also helping many small enterprises grow into medium-sized businesses.