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GrainTech, Flower Awards to add new leaf this year
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Friday, 16 February, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Anurag More, Mumbai
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GrainTech Fair will make its debut at the second edition of Food Tech Pune, which is slated to take place at Hindustan Antibiotic Exhibition Ground, Pune, between February 23 and 25, 2018. The event will be organised by Media Today Group. The Indian Flower and Plant Industry Excellence Awards will debut at Hotel Orchid, Pune, on February 23, 2018. The awards will recognise the efforts of people engaged in the sector to create a niche for the flower, plant and allied segments.
Besides GrainTech Fair, there will be five events concurrent to FoodTech Pune 2018 - the second essay of DairyTech Pune; the fourth essay of Agrex India; the 13th International Flora Expo (of which the awards will be a part), the 12th International Landscape and Gardening Expo and the 10th International Horti Expo.
Agrex India will focus on modern technology and machinery, coupled with advanced production practices, preservation techniques and equipment, logistics and marketing. The International Flora Expo will focus on flowers and floriculture-related farm equipment and technology.
The International Landscape and Gardening Expo will focus on the newest concepts in landscaping and gardening (viz green living, vertical gardening, etc.) The International Horti Expo will focus on horticultural produce other than floriculture, along with technology and infrastructure.
GrainTech Fair 2018
GrainTech Fair 2018 is all set to reduce the technological gaps existing in the processing and supply chain of vast production of grains in India.
“The country has over 5,000 rice mills; 1,200 flour milling plants in the organised sector apart from over 2,000 in the small-scale sector; 200 soybean plants; 2,000 spices crushing plants; 2,000 pulse mills; 2,000 oilseed crushing units; 1,000 feed units; 100 bio-fuel and energy projects and 1,000 coffee plants, which are looking for new and better technology to upgrade their manufacturing, processing and packaging lines,” stated S Jafar Naqvi, chief coordinator, Media Today Group.
GrainTech Fair 2018 is expected to be the apt forum for the aforementioned activities.
To feed the increasing domestic demand and also to achieve the export targets of food products, the ministries of agriculture and food processing industries and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the ministry of commerce, are investing a substantial share of the Budget to promote technological upgrade and value addition in the food sector.
Focus of the event
“Though no specific theme has been set for the event, the focus is on exhibiting activities related to all facets of the supply chain of agricultural produce. The second essay of FoodTech Pune will focus on fresh produce, processed foods, food processing machinery, packaging, retailing, dairy and other allied sectors. It is the ideal platform for national as well as international stakeholders,” said Naqvi
The event, which will concurrently be held with DairyTech Pune 2018 and GrainTech Fair, is expected to promote the holistic growth of the Indian food and agriculture sector.
India has become the food warehouse of the world, with a surge in the production of cereals, grains, horticulture, etc. on a sustained basis. And with the growing affluence, particularly in the large middle-class segment, the thrust is now also on value addition of the primary farm produce in the form of ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve food items. High-end consumer packaging has also contributed vastly in progressing the value addition of raw produce.
Increasing awareness has created a scenario where consumers today demand safe food with proper value addition by way of sorting, grading, packaging, branding, etc. Keeping these facts in view, FoodTech Pune was launched last year. At this exhibition series, all facets of the food industry, including technology, machinery and equipment, crop protection items and devices, etc., will be displayed on a single platform for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Maharashtra is a major producer of food crops as well as cash crops, including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, sugarcane, turmeric, and several oilseeds, including groundnut, sunflower and soybean.
A range of fruits, including mangoes, grapes, pomegranate and oranges, and vegetables such as onions are cultivated in the state in substantial quantities.
With an extensive network of logistics and infrastructure facilities created in Maharashtra, a substantial export of perishable produce takes place from the state.
Pune, the venue, enjoys a location advantage of being close to Mumbai, where India’s biggest perishable cargo complex exists, and enabling quick export of these products.
Visitors expected
Speaking about the visitor profile, Naqvi said, “It is anticipated that about 40,000 visitors will traverse the event series over the three-day period. The visitors will include trade interests, suppliers of machinery and equipment, crop protection items, farmers, students, etc. While farmers will get an exposure to the latest trends in farm equipment, agrochemicals, etc., students will gain experience of a gamut of agricultural activities. The trade interests will generate business in the various items on display during the exhibition series.”
There are several areas waiting to be tapped. These include canning, packaging, ready-to-eat products, cereals and grains, soft drinks, confectionery, chocolates, cocoa products, soy-based products, mineral water, high-protein foods and nutraceuticals, refrigeration for dairy, poultry, fisheries and meat, apart from health food and health food supplements, a rapidly rising segment of the food processing industry. The event is expected to provide exposure and business opportunities to concerned stakeholders.
Workshops, seminars and conferences
“During the event, there will be a half-day workshop on Greenhouse Industry in India – Business, Employment and Future Trends,” he added.
Exhibitors expected
Speaking about the exhibitors expected to showcase their offerings at the event, Naqvi said, “It is expected that about 300 exhibitors representing about 600 national and international companies will display products, technologies and services during the event series.”
Extending support to the expo series
The exhibition series will be supported by the National Centre for Cold-Chain Development (NCCD), the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Industry Association, India (FPPMIA) and the All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA).
Food industry in India
Naqvi said, “The Indian food and beverage industry is a vibrant industry witnessing rapid and unprecedented growth and has been a forerunner in attracting investments. Food expenditure constitutes the majority of Indians’ consumption, and the share is expected to grow further in the coming years. The Indian food and retail market, considered to be the sixth largest globally, is expected to growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent and attain a size of Rs 61 trillion by 2020 from the 2017 level of Rs 36 trillion. Food and grocery retail constitutes 65-70 per cent of the overall retail market in India.”
“The growth of the Indian food and beverage sector is attributable to such factors as the sizable young population, which is expected to reach 4,675 million by 2021; the changing consumer lifestyles, with instances of eating out on the increase; the increasing number of urban working women, the increasing disposable incomes, the inclination to trying out new cuisines, etc.,” he added.
Challenges faced by India’s F&B industry
Commenting on the challenges faced by the food and beverage industry in India, Naqvi said, “Though the F&B industry is poised for a quantum leap in the coming year, there are certain challenges.”
These include:
- Food industry requires maintaining a conducive ambient temperature for the products, but there is a shortage of relevant cold stores
- There is a lack of required refrigerated transport vehicles
- There is a lack of quality real estate for the restaurateurs, resulting in increased rentals and depletion of margins
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