India Expo Mart hosts 4th edition of Indus Food, MSME MoS says F&B sector can help realize the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat
Greater Noida : On 20th March, Minister of State for MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi inaugurated the fourth edition of Indus Food at Greater Noida’s India Expo Mart.
Speaking at the inauguration, Pratap Chandra Sarangi said, “It is a great pleasure to see the trade getting back to normal after pandemic, Indus Food is a great platform where local products will get a global window and connect. Even during pandemic the food and beverages industry have done exceedingly well.”
While assuring full support to the industry, Sarangi said, “Government is cutting down unnecessary compliances for the MSME sector so that good quality products made in India find a space internationally and MSMEs in India can scale production. In the F&B sector of India, every house can be an enterprise and every individual can be an entrepreneur. The sector can help realize the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.”
In his address, Development Commissioner MSME, Devendra Kumar Singh, thanked over 700 buyers from 53 different countries for visiting the fair despite the threat of Covid. He also highlighted how Indus Food has helped develop confidence among buyers that Indian can export the best quality F&B products.
Earlier while welcoming the delegates, exhibitors and the buyers, Vivek Agarwal, Chairman, TPCI – F&B Committee, said, “We are very happy to organize this fair in physical format despite all the challenges. Indian F&B companies are constantly working towards expanding product range and promoting international quality standards, acknowledging the value change. We are also hoping that this first physical trade show for the industry post-pandemic will play a vital role in the F&B industry to regenerate India’s food and Agri export to the post-pandemic level.”
Indus Food, organized by Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), is the largest of its kind food export promotion event organised in India. It features F&B products, F&B processing, and packaging technology. Around 400 Indian F&B exporters and 700 international buyers from 52 countries participated in Indusfood 2021.
At the trade fair, Ten News interacted with the exhibitors to learn about their expectations and experience at the fair. One exhibitor, while comparing Indus Food to the Gulfood, said, “This exhibition is much more successful than Gulfood. Indus food has done a great job in providing accommodation and other facilities to delegates.”
Another exhibitor said, “The response is really good. This is a great initiative taken by GOI to promote trade overseas and a great platform to showcase the power of Indian.”
“Covid has affected footfall this year, but in a way it’s good because only serious people have come in this time,” he added.
Food and beverages sector is a robust and progressive sector and has been sustainably recording growth despite pandemic. India’s F&B exports during 2020-21 (April-December’2020) have increased at 9.19% yoy.
Indus Food is the first physical exhibition at the India Expo Mart after almost a year of dormancy amid Covid scare.
The mart is following all the standard operating procedures set by the government to avoid the spread of Covid at the venue.
