India can hit $100 billion exports in F&B, agriculture, marine products in next 5 years: Piyush Goyal
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal has said that India has the potential to reach $100 billion of combined exports in the Food & Beverage (F&B), agriculture and marine products industries in the next five years. He emphasized that the target is not very ambitious as the industries need to grow at a combined rate of 14-15%.
Goyal further urged the Indian companies to invest in innovation, in better packaging, in sustainability, to mechanise their processes to make them more hygienic and encouraged the stakeholders to bring out high-value products on nutrition that can be used by the Government for its food security programmes in the country.
On promoting sustainability in the food industry, the Minister highlighted that the Government is prioritizing to make farming processes sustainable and is working to promote organic farming and food products. There is a tremendous growth potential in organic farming and the Government has eased certification processes for organic foods while maintaining the sanctity and traceability to ensure no irregularities creep in the system.
Commerce Minister also said that the Government is looking to expand food testing laboratories across the nation and also noted that the Government will also welcome suggestions on equipment and processes needed to set up high quality testing laboratory facilities.
