8.50 ndian onom
severely criticised by the experts and the political The economy has already started having
parties in the country. The government is yet to an informed and increased demand in
take the final call on the issue. such food items as ‘dietary habits’ are in
the process of shift (NSSO, 2014).
Food ProcessInG (ii) External dimension to it was also accepted
by the government by mid-1990s. As per
Indian food processing industry (FPI)81 has not
a joint GATT-OECD study, processed
grown with the pace which we see in the developed
food are supposed to account for around
countries—there has been certain reasons for it:
19 per cent of the increased trade after the
(i) India has a lower urban population provisions of the WTO are implemented.
(around 30 per cent of the population).
(iii) A very high percentage of food items
(ii) Whatever urban population India has which have short shelf life get wasted in
it does not have the typical urban food India. It does not look good for a country
habits. As majority of it is second or third which is crippled by the short-supply of
generation in the urban areas they still food and high rate of hunger.
continue with the non-urban/rural food
habits detrimental to the consumption of imPortAnce
the agro-precessed items.
While increased productivity is an essential
(iii) In recent times, there has come enough component of a vibrant agricultural sector,
awareness among the population across improved post-harvest handling and processing
the country regarding the chemicals is essential to ensure value addition, reduction in
which are used in the agro-processing wastage and to make good quality products reach
industries—creating a general tendency the markets. Too often, even when the yields are
to avoid such food articles (much damage high, producers lose income due to poor post-
has been done to the industry by the ‘fast harvest practices.
foods’, adulteration in food items such as
Aim: Food processing aims to make food more
sweets, milk, etc.).
digestible, nutritious and extend the shelf life. Due
(iv) A wave across the world towards to the seasonal variations high levels of wastage
comsuming more ‘which comes on or shortages can arise if adequate measures are
plants’ than ‘what is produced in plants’. not taken to preserve and store the food. Food
A similar wave of ‘slow food’ has gained processing covers all the processes that food items
popularity across Europe and other parts go through from the farm to the consumers’ plate. It
of the world originating from France. includes basic cleaning, grading and packaging as
Moreover, India’s agro-processing policy in case of fruits and vegetables and also alteration
today guided by the following drivers: of the raw material to a stage just before the final
(i) As urban population rises and urban preparation. Value addition processes to make
food habits evolve, there will be increased ‘ready-to eat’ food like bakery products, instant
demand for processed foods as it happened foods, flavored and health drinks, etc., are also
across the urbanising developed world. included in this definition.
Food processing offers an opportunity for the
81. The analyses are based on several volumes of Economic
Survey, India and the relevant documents of the creation of sustainable livelihoods and economic
Government of India between the period 2005 and 2015. development for the rural communities. Food