India to host World Food Forum in March 2017 to facilitate retailers, processors links with farmers

Mumbai, 22nd September, 2016: In a bid to link farmers with global retailers and processors, India will organise the World Food Forum at Delhi in March 2017, said Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Govt. of India.

The objective is to see India’s food processing pie rise to 20% from 10% over the next five years, she said.

“The theme would be transforming `India’s Food Economy` with the entire gamut of stakeholders beginning from food machinery, retailers, processors, logistics providers and progressive farmers. Unlike Vietnam and Thailand that process 70% of their agricultural produce, India processes only 10% of its farm produce. This results in lower realisation for farmers and higher prices for the consumers, which we intend to overcome,” Harsimrat Kaur Badal said addressing a conglomerate of domestic and overseas retailers on the 2nd day of the India Retail Forum 2016.