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.