Food & Agriculture

The agriculture and food sector is the backbone of the Indian economy. The sector contributes to approximately 17 pct. of India’s GDP, and provides employment to more than 50 pct. of the population. Current food retail is around USD 500 billion, of which 10 pct. is imported.

The Indian government is focused on modernizing the various food chains and increasing food-processing infrastructure to cater to the growing consumer demand. Cold chain, storage and processing infrastructure of various agro-produce is currently on the agenda of the Indian Government and the industry.

A major area of concern is food waste. In India, around 40 pct. of total food production is wasted.

In 2020, India accounted for 22 pct. of global milk production, making it the world's largest dairy producer. The dairy industry's production accounts for 5 pct. of the national GDP. However, there is room for significant improvement in the handling of the huge annual production of milk, as much of the milk is not processed. Currently, the Indian dairy industry only has the capacity to process 23 pct. of the annual milk production.