An overview of Food Processing Industry in India - Challenges and Opportunities

India holds the second largest arable land in the w orld. With 20 Agri-Climatic regions, all 15 major climates in the world exist in India. The country also possesses 46 of the 60 soil types in the world. India is the largest producer o f pulses, milk, tea, cashew and mangoes, buffalo meat; and the second largest producer of te a, wheat, sugarcane and rice. Demand growth for processed food has been rising with grow ing disposable income, urbanization, a young population and rise in the number of nuclea r families. Food processing industry is one of the largest industries in India, ranking fifth in terms of production, growth, consumption, and export. The total value of Indian food processing industry is expected to touch US$ 194 billion by 2015 from a value of US$ 121 billion in 2012, according to Mr Swapan Dutta, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research