Seminar on food processing industry on Aug 18

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), in association with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), will conduct a seminar on Indian Food Processing Industry - issues and prospects, on August 18 in Chennai.

Addressing a press conference, T R K Ramakrushna Rajha, chairman of the Tamil Nadu branch of IACC, said that though there was good potential for export of processed foods, the country was still lagging behind due to lack of skilled persons and entrepreneurs in the field.

Upgradation in infrastructure, practices and adherence to quality standards are essential requirements needed in the entire Indian food chain from the stage of cultivating food grains, vegetables and fruits, to collecting and sending them to cold storage, processing, packaging and finally marketing them, he said.

The total export value of agro based products has been pegged at Rs 35,600 crore in 2004-05 which are exported to the far East, Gulf countries and the United States.

The seminar is being organised in a bid to promote the Indo-US ties in the food processing sector and to explain the potential available in the industry.

The topics discussed will be United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) standards, hygienic practices in the food business, global quality management systems, new trends in food packaging, import of food processing machinery from the US and prospects of organic foods. The US grocery retail market is expected to grow to $ 759 billion and that of India's worth $ 194 billion.

The food processing sector covers a wide gamut of industries including fruits, vegetables, grains, packaged foods, soft drinks, snack and bakery products, fisheries, meat, beer and alcoholic drinks.