Food processing sector is one of the largest sectors in India in terms of production, growth, consumption, and export. India's food processing sector covers fruit and vegetables; spices; meat and poultry; milk and milk products, alcoholic beverages, fisheries, plantation, grain processing and other consumer product groups like confectionery, chocolates cocoa product soya-based products, mineral water and high protein foods.
Food processing also includes adding components to food, for example to extend shelf life, or adding vitamins and minerals to improve the nutritional quality of the food (fortification).
India is one of the leading exporters of the processed food products. It has a competitive edge over other countries due to the wide variety of crops cultivated as a result of geographical and climatic diversity.
India is the world's second largest producer of food next to China, and has the potential of being the biggest with the food and agricultural sector. The total food production in India is likely to double in the next ten years and there is an opportunity for large investments in food and food processing technologies, skills and equipment, especially in areas of Canning, Dairy and Food Processing, Specialty Processing, Packaging, Frozen Food/Refrigeration and Thermo Processing. Fruits & Vegetables, Fisheries, Milk & Milk Products, Meat & Poultry, Packaged/Convenience Foods, Alcoholic Beverages & Soft Drinks and Grains are important sub-sectors of the food processing industry. Health food and health food supplements is another rapidly rising segment of this industry which is gaining vast popularity amongst the health conscious.
The food processing sector comprises of three segments based on the levels of processing:
•Primary processing of food
Primary processing of food comprises of sorting, grading and packaging of fruits and vegetables, milk, rice, spices, etc.
•Secondary Processing of Food
Secondary processing of food comprises of re-shaping of food for ease of consumption. It includes flour, oil cakes, tea leaf and beverages powder etc. Together with primary processing, the two segments constitute around 62% of the processed foods in value terms.
•Tertiary Processing of Food (or) Value Added Food Segment
Value added food segment includes processed fruits and vegetables, juices, jam & jelly etc. and holds around 38 % share in the total processed food market.
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