India must become a global food basket, says Chirag Paswan; calls for Indian Products on Dining Tables Worldwide
New Delhi, June 9
Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Tuesday said India should emerge as a global food basket and expressed his ambition to see Indian food products reach dining tables across the world.
Speaking at the launch of the SAPLING High-Level Policy Dialogue, co-hosted by the World Bank Group and the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Paswan said the two-day dialogue is aimed at discussing challenges, bottlenecks and growth opportunities in the food processing sector.
Highlighting his vision for the sector, Paswan said, "I believe that India should itself become a global food basket."
Emphasising the need to move beyond agricultural production and focus on value addition, he said, "We have the capacity. We have production and volume. Now it has to be converted into value."
Sharing his aspiration for Indian food products in global markets, the minister said, "I want that no dining table should be such where at least one Indian food product is not present."
Paswan said the policy dialogue has brought together stakeholders from across the food processing ecosystem to discuss ways to strengthen the sector and expand opportunities.
He said discussions during the two-day event would focus on developing the value chain across the country, creating job opportunities and reducing food wastage.
According to the minister, the event assumes significance not only for India but also for the wider South Asian region as it brings together government delegations, private sector representatives and other stakeholders.
"Best practices, sharing, technology exchange, all these are discussed here, which makes it more important," Paswan said.
He added that the platform would help participants learn from global experiences while also sharing India's practices with other countries.
Paswan expressed confidence that the dialogue would help take India's food processing sector to both national and international levels and further strengthen the global presence of Indian food products.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good vision. But we need cold storage chains and reliable logistics first. I'm in the food business and even domestic supply has huge wastage. FCI godowns full of rotting grain but no proper processing units nearby. Let's fix the basics before targeting global tables.
I have tried some Indian frozen foods in the UK - they're getting popular! Our paneer, parathas and curry pastes are loved by foreigners. If the government supports small entrepreneurs with quality certifications and export subsidies, definitely possible. Also native grains like millet could be a hit globally. Let's go! 👩🌾✨
As an American who lived in Mumbai for 3 years, I'd love to see more Indian products in US supermarkets. The chai masala and biryani mixes available there are mostly bland versions. Real Indian spices, pickles and snacks would do well if marketed properly. Hope they also focus on organic and halal certifications to access wider markets.
Need to see it to believe it. Government departments talk big but implementation is poor. Food processing requires reliable electricity, water and roads. Some states are better than others. And what about subsidies for small farmers to form FPOs? Let's have a clear timeline. Otherwise it's just another conference result.
Love this! Our traditional foods like turmeric, ginger, black rice and jackfruit are becoming superfoods globally. But we need to ensure this benefits local communities and not just big corporations. Look what happened with quinoa in Bolivia - patenting and price control. Keep it homegrown and fair trade, please
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