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KAPPEC notes State accounts for 10,500 micro food enterprises under PMFME scheme
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Thursday, 25 June, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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Karnataka has emerged as a major force in micro food processing, with more than 10,500 micro food processing units receiving support under government schemes across the State, generating employment for an estimated 80,000 to 1 lakh people, according to the Karnataka Agro Processing and Export Corporation (KAPPEC).
Speaking at the conference on 'Reimagining Agro-Food Processing: The AI and Robotics Revolution' and the First Edition of Awards 2026, organised by the Bengaluru Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), here, C N Shiva Prakash, managing director, KAPPEC, said Karnataka has made significant progress in supporting entrepreneurs, producer collectives and food processing enterprises through the Prime Minister's Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.
KAPPEC is always ready to facilitate an enabling ecosystem for food agripreneurship in the State, he added.
"We are always in favour of technology and AI, but they should create more jobs rather than reduce them. Nevertheless, Karnataka is achieving milestones in food processing and I request major stakeholders such as BCIC to join hands in strengthening the sector," stated Prakash.
Highlighting the State's leadership in the millet sector, he said Karnataka is home to more than 3,500 millet manufacturing and processing units, making it one of the strongest millet-processing ecosystems in the country.
The conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, agri-entrepreneurs, technology experts and researchers to deliberate on the role of artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and innovation in transforming India's agro-food processing ecosystem while ensuring inclusive growth for farmers and rural communities.
Suresh Naryanan, former chairman and managing director, Nestle India, said India's food processing sector stands at a decisive inflection point. While the industry is already valued at over USD 300 billion and is projected to touch USD 535 billion by 2025-26, we are still processing only about 10 per cent of our agricultural produce compared to 80 per cent in developed economies. This gap represents India's biggest opportunity for value addition, employment generation and rural prosperity.
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