In New Delhi, Union Ministers Pashupati Kumar Paras and Prahlad Singh Patel launch the WFI-2023 website, publicity brochure, and promotional video.
WFI-2023 will put an emphasis on technology and digitization, innovation, sustainability, and millets "Green Food," White Revolution 2.0, making India a powerhouse in exports, and more.
From November 3–5, 2023, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, will host the second iteration of "World Food India-2023.". The WFI-2023 Curtain Raiser Event was held at the National Media Centre in New Delhi. Pashupati Kumar Paras, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, and Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti, launched the website, publicity brochure, and promotional videos at the event.
Speaking at the Curtain Raiser event, Pashupati Kumar Paras stressed that India is one of the nations with the quickest rates of growth and offers a variety of investment opportunities, notably in the food processing industry. The five pivotal elements of the WFI-2023 are White Revolution 2.0, Innovation and Sustainability "Green Food," Millets-"Shree Anna-The Super Food of India," Making India an Export Hub, and a Focus on Technology and Digitization, according to him.
According to Paras, the government anticipates that during the three-day event, top players in the food processing industry from all over the world would highlight their skills.
Paras went on to say that industry professionals' meetings, exhibitions, and Food Street - a specially curated food experience arena - are all planned to explore collaborations and B2B/G contracts. He stated that the event will highlight the numerous opportunities, infrastructure, and incentives benefits to the investors.
According to Prahlad Singh Patel, the government is looking forward to WFI-2023 as a flagship global event based on the experience of the previous edition of WFI-2017. According to him, the government is proud of standardising quality requirements and that numerous initiatives, such as PLI programmes in the food processing sector, are increasing marketing and branding.
Patel emphasised that innovation in the food processing sector is a critical differentiator worldwide and will aid India's ascent to one of the strongest economies in the world. He also stated that digitalisation has improved the quality parameters even at the level of self-help groups, and thus improved the sector's competitiveness.
While requesting broad stakeholder participation in the event, Ms Anita Praveen, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, stated that World Food India-2023, the Ministry's flagship event, is a unique platform for global investors in food companies. She stated that the Ministry's goal is to make India an export hub, with food processing and related industries playing a significant role. She went on to say that the Ministry's focus is on value addition, processing machinery, packaging technology and materials, and so on.
She stated that one of the event's pillars is millets-'Shree Anna-The Super Food of India,' and that there are enormous investment opportunities in post-harvest management such as primary processing and storage, preservation infrastructure, Cold chain, refrigerated transport, and value addition in organic and nutritious foods are all examples of value addition. She stressed that WFI-2023 will enhance the sector's expansion and demonstrate to the rest of the world India's potential in the food processing sector.
A summary of the preparations made to ensure the success of the event was given by Shailesh K. Pathak, Secretary General of FICCI, and Harsha V. Agarwal, Vice President of FICCI. They also gave a brief overview of the arrangements made at the venue to facilitate exhibitions, B2B, B2G, and G2G meetings and collaborations. With Millets (Shree Anna), organic produce, and indigenous processed food as some of the focal areas, WFI-2023 will be hosted as part of the International Year of Millets 2023 events. It will be supported by partnerships and investments from international stakeholders. Several major ministries and departments, state resident commissioners, embassies, senior Ministry executives, as well as a wide range of press and media professionals, attended the event.
