The 3rd edition of World Food India (WFI 2024), the biennial mega food event, organised by The Ministry of Food Processing Industries(MoFPI), was held from 19th to 22nd September 2024, in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Delhi.
- The event was jointly inaugurated by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing Industries and Ravneet Singh Bittu, Minister of State, Food Processing Industries & Railways.
- The event aims to integrate innovation, technology, and sustainability in the food processing sector.
- World Food India 2024, organised under the theme ‘Processing for Prosperity’, showcased the advancements in food processing technologies, investment opportunities, and India’s growth in the food processing sector.
Note: The first edition of World Food India was held in 2017 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event was not organised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
World Food India 2024:
i.The World Food India 2024 witnessed participation from over 90 countries, 26 Indian States and Union Territories, and 18 Central Ministries and allied government bodies.
ii.Over 1557 exhibitors, 20 country pavilions, 809 buyers from 108 countries and 2390 foreign delegates attended the event.
- 13 State Ministers and 4 Central Ministers; 16 international delegations, including six Ministerial delegations took part in the event.
iii.The event spanned across a vast area of 70,000 square meters across nine exhibition halls.
iv. Japan participated as the Partner Country while Iran and Vietnam participated as the Focus Countries.
Focus pillars:
The event was based on 5 main focus pillars:
- Food Irradiation: Ensuring Safety and Extending Shelf Life.
- Plant-based Proteins: Innovations and Impact.
- Minimum Waste, Maximum Value.
- Sustainable Packaging in Food Processing Industries.
- Ensuring Food Safety for All from Farm to Fork.
Highlights:
i.The event witnessed the inauguration of food processing units at 67 locations under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) schemes with total investments of Rs 5,135 crores.
ii.Credit linked support was provided to 25,000 beneficiaries for micro projects worth Rs 2,351 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme and Rs 245 crores seed capital sanctioned to 70,000 SHG members under the PMFME scheme.
iii.Over 40 knowledge sessions, including thematic discussions, and state and country-specific conferences were conducted during the event. Industry-led panel discussions with over 100 Chief Experience Officers (CXOs) of the global agri-food companies were also held.
- The event exhibited over 100 One District One Product items.
MoS Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel launches new products developed by start-ups
During World Food India 2024, Minister of State(MoS) Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) launched new products developed by a few startups.
Key Points
i.The Department exhibited major schemes, programs, new initiatives and innovative technologies in the livestock and dairy sector.
ii.The pavilion also featured 25 stalls, including the National Dairy Development Board, Start-ups, and Companies working in Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector.
iii.The department also organized a knowledge session titled “Entrepreneurship and Youth Development in the Livestock Sector” to explore innovative strategies for integrating youth into the livestock sector, available entrepreneurial opportunities and discuss challenges in livestock management.
NIFTEM-K signed 19 MoUs, completed 3 technology transfers, and launched 2 products
During World Food India 2024, the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM)-Kundli, Haryana signed 19 MoUs, completed 3 technology transfers and launched 2 products.
- Sarathi, the Internet of Things (IoT)-based hybrid dryer, biodegradable packaging films, and rapid detection kits is one of the main attractions.
About Sarathi:
i.NIFTEM’s ‘Sarathi’ (Solar Assisted Refrigeration Transportation with Hybrid Control and Intelligence) is a system designed to help store and transport fruits and vegetables at different temperatures safely.
ii.The monitoring of temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and ethylene can be done remotely through a mobile app.
- The system maintains temperatures of 0-4°C and 8-12°C. If the vehicle is off and 220V power is unavailable, solar power can be used for air circulation.
iii.The IoT (Internet of Things)-based hybrid dryer is a unique device that can dry food products in 4-5 hours using two methods.
iv.It makes use of infrared and refractance window drying technology.
- The temperature and humidity can be remotely monitored, and with the help of a smart energy meter, the temperature and power consumption can be fully controlled through a mobile app.
2nd Edition of Global Food Regulators Summit hosted by FSSAI
Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW), inaugurated the 2nd edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS 2024) held from 20th to 21st September 2024 in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The Summit was organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the aegis of the MoHFW, alongside the World Food India 2024.
- Aim: To establish a global platform for food regulators to exchange their ideas on strengthening food safety systems and regulatory frameworks throughout the food value chain.
Note: On 17th September 2024, Union Minister JP Nadda unveiled the logo and brochures of the GFRS 2024 at Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi.
About the Summit:
i.Stakeholders from international organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Codex Alimentarius Commission(CAC), the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA) and Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition(JIFSAN), participated at the GFRS 2024.
- Delegates from more than 70 countries participated in the summit
Highlights:
i.The event witnessed the introduction of the Food Import Rejection Alerts (FIRA), an online portal designed to inform the public and related food safety authorities about food import rejections at Indian borders.
- It will also serve as an important database for tracking rejected food products and for further strengthening the risk management system.
ii.The summit also launched a new website for the Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0), an advanced version of the Food Import Clearance System for faster processing and transparency offering an online solution with new features, automation, and integration with other relevant portals.
iii.A millet recipe show ‘Flavours of Shree Anna – Sehat aur Swaad Ke Sang’ was also launched as a 13-episode series on Doordarshan, aimed at promoting millet-based recipes.
iv. The 6th State Food Safety Index (SFSI 2024), an annual report evaluating the food safety performance of Indian states and union territories was also released during the event.
- Kerala, Tamil Nadu(TN), Jammu & Kashmir(J&K), Gujarat and Nagaland have topped the 2024 index.
MoS Anupriya Patel Addressed the Regional Conclave:
Minister of State(MoS) Anupriya Patel, MoH&FW, addressed the Regional Conclave on “Enhancing Regional Collaboration & Harmonization in Standard Setting Process” the event.
Purpose: To enhance regional collaboration and harmonisation in food safety and standard-setting processes within Asia.
i.The conclave offered a platform to discuss and address the issues like emerging markets, emerging food products, standardization procedures, quality assurance and the methodologies.
ii.MoS Anupriya Patel highlighted the importance of standards to be developed for areas like aquaculture, processed foods and organic farming while addressing new technologies like bio-technology and sustainable farming.
FSSAI sign MoU with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in the area of food safety
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) of Brazil under the umbrella of Global Food Regulators Summit, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on 21st September 2024.
- The MoU involves cooperation to improve food safety through joint projects and technical collaboration.
India and Bhutan Deepen Cooperation on Food Safety and Regulatory Standards
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare entered into an agreement with the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) under the aegis of the Global Food Regulators Summit.
- This agreement aims to enhance food safety, aligning regulatory frameworks, simplifying the Food Import Procedure, enhancing technical collaboration and develop trade between the two countries.
- The agreement will acknowledge the official control exercised by BFDA over food business operators (FBOs) by the FSSAI.
About Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI):
Union Minister – Chirag Paswan (Constituency- Hajipur, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS) – Ravneet Singh Bittu (Rajya Sabha- Rajasthan)
