Food processing sector constitutes 13% of India’s factory employment

Source: PIB, Government of India

Food Processing Industry is one of the major employment intensive segments constituting 13.04 per cent of employment generated in all Registered Factory sector in 2012-13. According to the latest Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2012-13, the total number of persons engaged in registered food processing sector is 16.89 lakh. Employment in registered food processing sector has been increasing annually at an average growth of 2.41 per cent during 5 years ending 2012-13. Unregistered food processing sector supports employment to 47.9 lakh workers as per the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 67th Round, 2010-11. Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, inter-alia, through National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a Public Sector Enterprise of the Ministry, has been providing marketing support to Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) under Marketing Assistance Scheme with the objectives to enhance the marketing competitiveness of MSMEs, provide common platform for interaction with the individual/ institutional buyers, update them with prevalent market scenario, enable participation in International Exhibitions/Trade Fairs, theme based domestic exhibitions / technology fairs etc. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (APEDA) under the administrative control of the Department of Commerce is implementing various schemes to extend financial assistance to the eligible exporters registered with it to boost the overall agri products exports in global market. APEDA facilitates marketing of processed food in overseas market through buyer-seller meet, product promotion, exchange of delegations, participation in International trade fairs exhibitions/ fairs/ events etc. APEDA also provides financial assistance to registered exporters under its Agriculture Export Promotion Plan Scheme for Market development component for Brand publicity (Product specific Indian Brands) through advertisement etc. Ministry of Food Processing Industries has also provided link to “MSME Global Mart” developed by NSIC to facilitate marketing of agri & processed food products, in its website www.mofpi.nic.in. This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.      

August 04, 2015 | 6:00 pm IST.