INTRODUCING INDIA’S FOOD INDUSTRY

Food is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role.

Most traditions have a recognizable cuisine, a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices, the study of which is known as gastronomy. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption.

Many cultures study the dietary analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality often affect which foods they will consume. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claiming many lives each year. In many languages, food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in "food for thought".

The food industry is the complex, global collective of diverse businesses that together supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population.

The food processing industry is one of the largest industries in India. It is ranked fifth in terms of production, consumption, export and expected growth. Food Processing Industry is widely recognized as a 'sunrise industry' in India having huge potential for uplifting agricultural economy, creation of large scale processed food manufacturing and food chain facilities, and the resultant generation of employment and export earnings. India has enormous growth potential from its current status of being the world's second largest food producer to be the world's number one producer.

Food Processing Industry is of enormous significance for India's development because of the vital linkages and synergies that it promotes between the two pillars of the economy, namely Industry and Agriculture. Food processing covers a spectrum of products from sub-sector comprising agriculture, horticulture, Plantation, animal husbandry and fisheries. Essentially, the food industry involves the commercial movement of food from field to fork.

While India has an abundant supply of food, the food processing industry is still nascent: only two per cent of fruit and vegetables; and 15 per cent of milk produced are processed. Despite, of this the processed food industry ranks fifth in size in the country, representing 6.3 per cent of GDP. It accounts for 13 per cent of the country’s exports and 6 per cent of total industrial investment. The industry size is estimated at US$ 70 billion, including US$ 22 billion of value added products. This sector has been attracting FDI across different categories.