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Government boosts food processing ecosystem with incentive support for millets, makhana and indigenous superfoods
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Tuesday, 10 February, 2026, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Government of India is strengthening the country’s food processing infrastructure by incentivizing the expansion and setting up of processing units across key segments, including millets and indigenous superfoods such as makhana (fox nut), according to the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
Although there are currently no specific provisions for nutraceuticals and functional foods under MoFPI schemes, the Government is supporting overall industry development through its flagship programmes — Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. These schemes, which are demand-driven and not region-specific, provide financial incentives for related infrastructure creation and value-addition processing units across the country.
A key focus area of PLISFPI is the Millet-Based Products (MBP) component, which has an outlay of Rs 800 crore. Under this, incentives have been approved for 29 applicants — including 8 large and 21 small and medium enterprises — with nearly Rs 793.27 crore sanctioned to promote the manufacturing and marketing of millet-based products for both domestic and export markets.
Under the PMFME Scheme, millets and their products have been identified as One District One Product (ODOP) in 21 districts across 11 states. As of December 31, 2025, a total of 4,612 micro food processing enterprises with subsidies of Rs 91.20 crore for millet units, and 379 enterprises with subsidies of Rs 12.81 crore for makhana processing units have been approved nationwide.
MoFPI added that these schemes aim to create modern infrastructure, strengthen cold-chains, improve supply-chain linkages from farm-gate to retail, enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost exports of processed foods.
The Government emphasised that while regulatory matters for nutraceutical and functional food standards rest with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), financial support mechanisms under MoFPI schemes continue to drive value addition and processing capabilities in emerging food segments.
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