Ahmedabad, Jun 19 (IANS): Food Processing Industries Minister Subodh Kant Sahai Friday said India can take to large scale development of the food processing industries to create a niche for itself in the world.

Terming food processing a promising sector, Sahai said it has enormous opportunity for growth.

The minister was addressing an investors' meet and a training-cum-awareness programme on prospects of food processing industry in Gujarat, organised by the Ahmedabad-based Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI).

The minister said the food processing sector has "umpteen investment opportunities", which include those in cold chain projects, value added centres for agricultural products, fresh produce exports by air and sea, marine export, farm implements and seeds, organic farming and so on.

Maintaining that there are many other unexploited areas in the food processing sector, he said there is also need for more trained and competent entrepreneurs who can set up their own businesses and look beyond the existing processes and take innovative ideas and challenges ahead in the sector.