-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
The Indian government has approved a Central Sector Scheme called the “Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)” with a budget of ₹10,900 crores. The scheme is aimed at supporting the creation of global food manufacturing champions in line with India’s natural resource endowment and promoting Indian brands of food products in international markets. It is expected to create employment opportunities and expand the capacity of processed food products.The scheme comprises three components. The first component offers incentives to manufacturers of four major food product segments, including Ready to Cook/Ready to Eat (RTC/RTE) foods such as Millets-based products, processed fruits and vegetables, marine products, and mozzarella cheese. The second component focuses on the production of innovative and organic products by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in these four segments, including free-range eggs, poultry meat, and egg products. The third component aims to support branding and marketing abroad to promote strong Indian food brands.
In the year 2022-23, an additional component for Millet-based products with an outlay of ₹800 crores has been added to the scheme. The scheme is not specific to any state or region, although one application from the North Eastern Region, by M/s Sanna Enterprises for Millet-based products, was received and selected.To further support the growth potential of the Nutraceutical Sector, the government constituted a task force in December 2021 under the Chairmanship of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is a member of this task force, which aims to address the challenges facing the industry and evolve a roadmap to provide a thrust to the Nutraceutical Sector.
Overall, the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) is expected to boost the Indian food processing industry and create a conducive environment for the emergence of strong Indian food brands in the global market. The scheme’s emphasis on organic and innovative products by SMEs will also encourage small and medium enterprises to contribute to the growth of the sector. The task force on Nutraceutical Sector is expected to provide a roadmap to further unlock the sector’s growth potential and address the challenges facing the industry.
