The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2nd edition of the Mega food event ‘World Food India 2023’ at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi on 03 November 2023. Shri Modi also took a walkthrough of the exhibition showcased on the occasion.
The Prime Minister discussed India’s rich food diversity and cultural heritage, emphasizing the importance of sustainable food habits linked with Ayurveda. He stressed the need for the food processing industry to implement ancient knowledge for global food security.
» With the aim to strengthen Self Help Groups, he disbursed Seed Capital Assistance for over one lakh SHG members to strengthen Self Help Groups.
- This support will help SHGs gain better price realisation in the market through improved packaging and quality manufacturing.
» The Prime Minister also inaugurated Food Street as part of World Food India 2023.
- It featured regional cuisines and royal culinary heritage, wherein over 200 chefs participating and presenting traditional Indian cuisine, making it a unique culinary experience.
- The event also featured ICC23, an international culinary competition, celebrating excellence with categories like pre-millet dishes and live pasta cooking, along with masterclasses and an awards ceremony.
About 2nd World Food India 2023:
The 2nd World Food India 2023 was held from 3 November to 5 November 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Theme:
The theme of World Food India 2023 was “Processing for Prosperity”, which aimed to spread awareness about the richness of Indian food, immense scope of investment in India’s food processing sectors covering agriculture, fisheries, dairying and animal husbandry.
Organized by:
The ‘World Food India 2023’ event was organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MoFPI), Government of India.
- Ministry of Ayush participated as the partner in the World Food India 2023.
Partner & Focus Country:
The Netherlands served as the partner country, while Japan was the focus country of the event.
Aim:
The aim of the event was to showcase India as the ‘food basket of the world’ and celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
- It provided a networking and business platform for government bodies, industry professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to engage in discussions, establish partnerships, and explore investment opportunities in the agri-food sector.
Day 1 of 2nd World Food India 2023:
MoUs:
» On the first day of World Food India 2023, a total of 16 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and various industry entities.
- These agreements amounted to a total investment of around Rs 17,990 crore.
- Notable companies participating in these MoUs included Mondelez, Kellog, ITC, Innobev, Nedspice, Ananda, General Mills, and Ab Inbev, among others.
» The Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, organized a Roundtable discussion on the inaugural day of World Food India 2023.
- The event was co-chaired by Union Minister Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras, Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles.
- The Roundtable brought together senior government officials and CEOs from over 70 leading companies operating in the food processing and allied sectors.
- CEOs roundtables took place with focus on investment and Ease of Doing Business.
- The discussions in the Roundtable primarily revolved around topics such as ease of doing business, investment and sourcing interests, and gathering industry insights on the existing gaps in the value chain within the Indian Food Processing Sector.
Highlights of 2nd World Food India 2023:
Valedictory Session:
» The ‘World Food India 2023’ event concluded on 5th November at Bharat Mandapam graced by the esteemed presence of the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu.
Participation:
- The Mega Food Event, held with the support of ten Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, six commodity boards, and 25 states, attracted significant attention from international and domestic stakeholders.
- The event featured a remarkable turnout of 1208 exhibitors, 14 country pavilions, and notable participation from 715 international buyers, 218 domestic buyers, and 97 corporate leaders.
- Spanning an expansive area of 50,000 square meters across seven exhibition halls, the event provided a comprehensive platform for showcasing the latest advancements in the food processing industry.
- 14 country delegations, including seven Ministerial delegations participated in the event.
Sessions:
» The three-day event comprised 48 sessions, featuring Thematic, State, Allied Ministries, and Country & Organization sessions.
- Notably, 16 Thematic Sessions delved into crucial subjects such as Financial Empowerment, Quality Assurance, Innovations in Machinery and Technology, e-Commerce, and Logistics in the food processing sector.
- Moreover, 12 State-focused panel discussions and 11 specialized sessions by Allied ministries, including DPIIT and FSSAI, addressed pertinent industry challenges.
» The event also hosted knowledge sessions by The Netherlands and Japan, promoting knowledge exchange and best practices.
- Additionally, successful focused meetings with The Netherlands, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Brazil, and the UAE highlighted growth opportunities in India’s food processing sector.
Investments:
» The event concluded with a substantial surge of investment interest, resulting in the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 33,129 crore underscoring the event’s significant impact on propelling India’s food processing sector.
- Companies such as Amul, ITC, Mondelez, Kellogg’s, AB InBev, IB Group, Balaji Wafers, Ananda Dairy, Fertis, and Bikanerwala were among the signatories.
- More than 15200 B2B and B2G meetings conducted during the event fostered meaningful dialogues and partnerships, creating an environment conducive to knowledge exchange and industry growth.
» Various pavilions were set up to showcase the innovation and strength of the Indian food processing industry.
» The Ministry of Ayush played the role of a partner in this event of World Food India.
- Ayush Pavilion was prepared by the Ministry of Ayush at World Food India in which detailed information was given about the Ayurveda diet along with the utility of the Ayush diet in the present life, the importance of Ayush diet, methods of obtaining it, etc..
- Along with this, proper food and food plates as per traditional medical practices, etc. were explained.
About World Food India:
Government of India initiated the inaugural World Food India event in 2017 with the dual aim of showcasing India’s rich culinary traditions and encouraging investments in the country’s diverse food processing sector.
World Food India 2024:
The third edition of World Food India 2024 will be held in New Delhi from September 19-22, 2024.