In a country that grows enormous quantities of food but wastes a lot of it after harvest, food processing is a natural priority. Over the past decade, the government expanded the sector's infrastructure — mega food parks, cold chains, agro-processing clusters and testing labs — under the umbrella Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and, from 2021, a ₹10,900 crore Production-Linked Incentive scheme.
Food Processing
Food Processing
Food processing turns raw farm produce into higher-value products, cuts waste and creates rural jobs. India has expanded processing infrastructure — mega food parks, cold chains and testing labs — under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and a dedicated PLI scheme, and processed & agri-food exports grew toward roughly $27 billion. The counter shows indicative processed and agri-food exports.
~$18 → 27 bn
Processed food exports
~41
Mega food parks
~10%
Produce processed (low)
Processed food exports
| Year | Processed food exports |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 18 $ bn |
| 2015 | 19 $ bn |
| 2016 | 20 $ bn |
| 2017 | 21 $ bn |
| 2018 | 22 $ bn |
| 2019 | 22 $ bn |
| 2020 | 21 $ bn |
| 2021 | 23 $ bn |
| 2022 | 25 $ bn |
| 2023 | 25 $ bn |
| 2024 | 26 $ bn |
| 2025 | 27 $ bn |
2014
0$ bn
Processed food exports
20142025
Since 2014
Added
+9 $ bn
2014
18 $ bn
2025
27 $ bn
Why it matters Processing adds value to what farmers grow, reduces the huge post-harvest losses of a monsoon economy, and creates jobs close to the farm.
- Processed & agri-food exports: ~$18 bn (2014) → ~$27 bn (2025)
- PM Kisan SAMPADA, ~41 mega food parks, PLI; only ~10% processed
- Source: MoFPI / APEDA (indicative)
History
Notable initiatives
Around 41 mega food parks and hundreds of cold-chain projects were sanctioned, the One District One Product (ODOP) approach promotes local specialities, and Operation Greens stabilises prices of perishables like tomato, onion and potato. Processing adds value close to the farm and supports processed & agri-food exports, which grew toward roughly $27 billion.
How it works
Food processing turns raw farm produce into packaged, longer-lasting, higher-value products — and its biggest job in India is cutting waste, since a lot of fruit, vegetables and milk spoils before it is sold. The government builds the missing infrastructure — mega food parks, cold chains and testing labs under the Kisan Sampada scheme — and, through the PMFME scheme, formalises tiny local food businesses with cheap loans and branding help.
Outlook
The central task is lifting how much produce is actually processed — still only around a tenth in India, far below developed economies — which is where the cold-chain and food-park investments aim. Processed-food exports have climbed past $49 billion, and the sector is a big potential job-creator; the next steps are organising supply chains, cutting post-harvest losses, and drawing global investment as India's neo-middle class eats more packaged food.
The road ahead
The central task is lifting how much produce is actually processed (around a tenth today) — closing cold-chain gaps and organising supply chains to cut post-harvest losses, especially in fruit, vegetables and dairy.
By the numbers
~$18 → ~$27 bn processed & agri-food exports (2014→2025, indicative). ~41 mega food parks; PLI ₹10,900 crore. Only ~10% of produce processed. Sources: MoFPI, APEDA.
Source: MoFPI / APEDA — indicative processed & agri-food exports (US$ billion), 2014–2025.