Mega Food Parks Supporting Transformation of Indian Agriculture
Mega Food Parks will pave the way to transform the agriculture sector and unlock its real potential though processing and value addition
The food processing sector is regarded as the growth engine of the agriculture sector in India . It is thus correctly advocated that an efficient food processing sector , consistently growing at double-digit rates , is a must for the agriculture sector to grow at more than 4 % and serve the ever-increasing food requirements of the country ’ s growing population .
It is now well-recognized by all stakeholders – governments , farmers and industry – that the fortunes of agriculture and food processing sectors are intertwined and an integrated approach is needed to address problems of food spoilage and wastage , food security , inflation and dwindling farm incomes . Various government policies of the last half a decade showcase this interdependence of food processing and agriculture .
The food production in the country is likely to double in the next decade or so . Yet at present , India accounts for less than 3 percent of international food trade , and lack of processing facilities has been leading to wastage / value loss of about 35 percent of the agricultural produce , worth 10 billion USD as per various estimates .
It is against this backdrop that the Mega Food Parks Scheme ( MFPS ) was launched in 2008-09 , which is the flagship programme of the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries . MFPS is also the most crucial element of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana that embodies Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s vision of doubling farmers ’ incomes .
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