Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, called for a heightened focus on food processing during the India Today Group's Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026. Speaking at a session titled 'The New Key to Agricultural Progress', he emphasized the potential of food processing in increasing farmers' earnings, reducing food waste, and generating employment. He envisioned every global dining table featuring an Indian food item.
Paswan highlighted the need for improved storage facilities to prevent agricultural produce, particularly perishable items, from going to waste. He also expressed concern over insufficient crop storage capacity in India. The minister pointed out that previous governments could have done more work in this area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified food processing as an important priority, and Paswan emphasized the need to build an ecosystem that preserves agricultural produce, extends its shelf life, and improves market value. However, he stressed that the government cannot shoulder this responsibility alone and called for greater participation from industry leaders.
Paswan urged industry players to establish processing units in villages, work closely with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and organised farming groups, and locate facilities closer to farms to reduce waste and ensure better returns for farmers. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening warehouses and storage facilities, as a longer shelf life would not only prevent produce from going waste but also allow Indian food products to reach markets beyond the country.
The minister expressed optimism that discussions at the two-day conference would shape the future of the food processing sector. "We will see far-reaching, very positive outcomes from these two days of discussion and dialogue," he said.