The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed measures to make India into a manufacturing hub for 20 identified champion sectors. As per a report in CNBC-TV18, DPIIT has proposed incentives for the textiles sector, measures for Food Processing, and Ready to Eat sectors as part of the overall push to manufacturing which is part of the Modi government’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The government believes the Ready to Eat segment has the potential to become a $2 billion industry in the next 5 years. Key proposals given by DPIIT is to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers on Indian food products from the European Union. It has also suggested to simplify pre-shipment formalities and to do away with spice board testing and certification norms in the long run.
The food processing industry specifically for mango, orange, and potato is where the government sees an opportunity of $10 billion industry by 2030. The short term proposal by DPIIT is to bring down the power tariff specifically, make an aggressive market promotion campaign and organise food festivals in foreign locations. In the long term, it plans to identify and develop the health food market which is in vogue, and also bring Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) into food processing.