Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Mr. Dmitry Patrushev; my cabinet colleagues, Chirag Paswan and Shri Ravneet; Shri Prataprao Jadhav; Ministers and representatives who have come here from different countries; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen!

A very warm welcome to all of you at World Food India. Today, at this event, our farmers, entrepreneurs, investors and consumers are all present under one roof. World Food India has become an occasion of new contacts, new connections and creativity. I have just visited the exhibitions displayed here. I am pleased to see that the greatest focus has been placed on nutrition, on reducing oil consumption, and on enhancing the wholesomeness of packaged products. I extend my congratulations and best wishes to all of you for this event.

Friends,

Every investor, before making an investment, assesses the natural strengths of the place where he intends to invest. Today, the world, especially investors associated with the food sector, are looking towards Bharat with great hope. This is because Bharat possesses the triple strength of diversity, demand and scale. Every grain, every fruit and every vegetable is produced in Bharat. Owing to this diversity, Bharat is unique in the world. Every hundred kilometres, the food and its taste change in our country. In Bharat, there is tremendous demand for different varieties of food. This demand gives Bharat a competitive edge and makes it a preferred destination for investors.

Friends,

The scale at which Bharat is working today is unprecedented and unimaginable. In the past ten years, 25 crore people in Bharat have defeated poverty. All these fellow citizens have now become part of the neo middle class. This neo middle class is the most energetic and most aspirational segment of the nation. The aspirations of such a large number of people will shape our food trends. It is this aspiring class that is driving our demand.

Friends,

Today, the talented youth of the country are achieving remarkable feats in every sector. Our food sector is no exception. Today, Bharat is the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem. Many of these start-ups are engaged in the food and agriculture sectors. AI, e-commerce, drones and apps are also being integrated into this sector. Our start-ups are transforming supply chains, retail and processing. Thus, Bharat possesses diversity, demand and innovation all at once. These factors make Bharat the most attractive destination for investments. Therefore, I would like to reiterate what I said from the ramparts of the Red Fort: this is the time, the right time, to invest and expand in Bharat.

Friends,

We are all well aware of the many challenges that the twenty-first century has brought before the world. You also know that whenever challenges have arisen before the world, Bharat has stepped forward to play a positive role. Bharat has been consistently contributing to global food security. Thanks to the hard work of our farmers, livestock rearers, fishermen and supportive government policies, Bharat's capacity is continually increasing. In the past decade, our food grain production has risen significantly. Today, Bharat is the largest producer of milk, contributing 25 per cent of the world’s milk supply. We are also the largest producers of millets. In rice and wheat, we rank second in the world. Bharat also makes a significant contribution in fruits, vegetables and fisheries. That is why whenever there is a crisis of crops in the world, whenever supply chains are disrupted, Bharat steps forward with strength to fulfil its responsibility.

Friends,

In the interest of global welfare, it is our endeavour to further increase Bharat's capacity and contribution. For this, the government is strengthening every stakeholder and the entire ecosystem associated with food and nutrition. Our government is encouraging the food processing sector. That is why 100 per cent FDI has been permitted in this sector. In addition, the PLI scheme and the expansion of Mega Food Parks have also given this sector a boost. Today, Bharat is running the world’s largest storage infrastructure scheme. The results of these government efforts are also visible. In the last ten years, Bharat's processing capacity has increased twenty fold. Our exports of processed food have also more than doubled.

Friends,

Farmers, livestock rearers, fishermen and small processing units play a vital role in the food supply and value chain. Over the past decade, our government has strengthened all these stakeholders. You know that in Bharat, more than 85 per cent are small or marginal farmers. Therefore, we formulated policies and developed a support system through which these small farmers are now emerging as a major force in the market.

Friends,

For instance, micro food processing units are run by our self-help groups. These self-help groups are linked with lakhs of people in our villages. To support them, our government is providing credit-linked subsidies. Even today, subsidies of about ₹800 crore have just been transferred to these beneficiaries before you.

Friends,

Similarly, our government is expanding farmer producer organisations (FPOs). Since 2014, ten thousand FPOs have been established across the country, connecting lakhs of small farmers. These help small farmers to bring their produce to the market on a larger scale. And their role is not confined to this alone. These FPOs are also playing a significant part in the food processing sector and are developing branded products. You will be astonished to see the strength of our FPOs. Today, more than 15,000 products of our FPOs are available on online platforms. Basmati rice, saffron and walnuts from Kashmir; jams and apple juice from Himachal; millet cookies from Rajasthan; soya nuggets from Madhya Pradesh; the superfood makhana from Bihar; groundnut oil and jaggery from Maharashtra; and banana chips and coconut oil from Kerala — from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, our FPOs are bringing Bharat's agricultural diversity to every household. And you will be pleased to know that more than 1,100 FPOs have become crorepatis, meaning their annual turnover has crossed one crore rupees. Today, FPOs are playing a major role in enhancing farmers’ income and providing employment to the youth.

Friends,

Apart from FPOs, cooperatives are also a great strength in Bharat. This year happens to be the International Year of Cooperatives. In Bharat, cooperatives are empowering our dairy sector and rural economy with new strength. Recognising the importance of cooperatives, we established a separate ministry for them so that our policies could be tailored to their needs. Tax and transparency reforms have also been undertaken for this sector. These policy-level changes have given new strength to the cooperative sector.

Friends,

Bharat's growth in the marine and fisheries sector has also been remarkable. In the last decade, we have expanded the infrastructure related to the fisheries sector. We have provided funding support to fishermen and assistance for deep-sea fishing boats. This has increased both our marine production and exports. Today, this sector provides employment to nearly 3 crore people. We are also working to expand processing of marine products. For this, investments are being made in modern processing plants, cold chains and smart harbours.

Friends,

We are also investing in modern technology to preserve crops. Farmers are being linked with food irradiation technology. This has increased the shelf life of our agricultural products and strengthened food security. The government is providing every possible support to the units engaged in this work.

Friends,

Today’s Bharat is moving forward on a new path of innovation and reforms. At present, there is much discussion about next-generation GST reforms in our country. For farmers, these reforms bring the assurance of lower costs and greater benefits. With only 5 per cent GST on butter and ghee, they will benefit immensely. On milk cans too, the tax is just 5 per cent. This will ensure better prices for farmers and producers. It will also ensure more nutrition at lower prices for the poor and middle class. The food processing sector too is set to gain significantly from these reforms. Ready-to-consume and preserved fruits, vegetables and nuts attract only 5 per cent GST. Today, more than 90 per cent of processed food products fall in either the zero or 5 per cent tax slab. Taxes on bio-pesticides and micro-nutrients have been reduced. Due to GST reforms, bio-inputs have become cheaper, directly benefiting small organic farmers and FPOs.

Friends,

Today, the demand of the times is also for biodegradable packaging. It is important that our products remain fresh and of high quality, but alongside this, we also have a responsibility towards nature. Therefore, the government has reduced GST on biodegradable packaging from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. I would also like to earnestly urge all industry partners to invest in innovations related to biodegradable packaging and shift all our product packaging to biodegradable materials as soon as possible.

Friends,

Bharat has kept its doors open to the world with a generous spirit. We are open to all investors associated with the food chain. We are ready for collaborations with an open heart. Once again, I invite all of you to invest the most in Bharat. There are immense possibilities in this sector. Take advantage of them, and I convey my heartiest congratulations to everyone associated with this event. Thank you.

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MJPS/VJ/IG