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Present Status and Future Prospects of Indian Food Processing Industries

The food processing sector is highly fragmented industry, it widely comprises of the following sub-segments: fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products, beer and alcoholic beverages, meat and poultry, marine products, grain processing, packaged or convenience food and packaged drinks. A huge number of entrepreneurs in this industry are small in terms of their production and operations, and are largely concentrated in the unorganized segment. This segment accounts for more than 70% of the output in terms of volume and 50% in terms of value. Though the organized sector seems comparatively small, it is growing at a much faster pace.

Source: D&B Research

Structure of the Indian Food Processing Industry

Food Processing Units in Organized Sector (numbers)

Source: Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Annual Report 2003-04

Industry Sub-Segments

Fruits & Vegetables

The installed capacity of fruits and vegetables processing industry has doubled from 1.1 mn tonnes in January 1993 to 2.1 mn tonnes in 2006. Presently, the processing of fruits and vegetables is estimated to be around 2.2% of the total production in the country. The major processed items in this segment are fruit pulps and juices, fruit based ready-to-serve beverages, canned fruits and vegetables, jams, squashes, pickles, chutneys and dehydrated vegetables. The new arrivals in this segment are vegetable curries in retortable pouches, canned mushroom and mushroom products, dried fruits and vegetables and fruit juice concentrates.

The fruits and vegetable processing industry is rather fragmented. A large number of units are in household and small-scale sector, having low capacities of up to 250 tonnes per annum. From the year 2000 onwards the industry has seen a significant growth in ready-to-serve beverages, pulps and fruit juices, dehydrated and frozen fruits and vegetable products, pickles, processed mushrooms and curried vegetables, and units engaged in these segments are export oriented.

Exports of Processed Fruits & Vegetables (Quantity in MT, Value in Rs Mn)

Source: Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Annual Report 2005-06

Milk and Milk Products

India is with highest livestock populations in the world, it accounts 50% of the buffaloes and 20% of the world’s cattle population, most of which are milch cows and milch buffaloes. India’s dairy industry is considered as one of the most successful development industry in the post-Independence era.

In 2005-06 total milk productions in the country was over 90 million tonnes with a per capita availability of 229 gms per day. During 1993-2005, the dairy industry recorded an annual growth of 4%, which is almost 3 times the average growth rate of the dairy industry in the world. The total milk processing in India is around 35%, of which the organized dairy industry accounts for 13% while remaining is either consumed at farm level, or sold as fresh, non-pasteurized milk through unorganized channels.

In an organized dairy industry, dairy cooperatives account for the major share of processed liquid milk marketed in India. Milk is processed and marketed by 170 Milk Producers’ Cooperative Unions, which federate into 15 State Cooperative Milk Marketing Federations. Over the years, several brands have been created by cooperatives like Amul (GCMMF), Vijaya (AP), Verka (Punjab), Saras (Rajasthan). Nandini (Karnataka), Milma (Kerala) and Gokul (Kolhapur).

The milk surplus states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The manufacturing of milk products is very much concentrated in these states due to the availability of milk in huge quantity.

According to the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, exports of dairy products have been growing at the rate of 25% per annum in terms of quantity and 28% in terms of value since 2001. Significant investment opportunities exist for the manufacturing of value-added milk products like milk powder, packaged milk, butter, ghee, cheese and ready-to-drink milk products.

Meat & Poultry

Since 1995, production of meat and its products has been significantly growing at a rate of 4% per annum. Presently the processing level of buffalo meat is estimated at 21%, poultry is estimated at 6% while marine products are estimated at 8%. But only about 1% of the total meat is converted into value added products like sausages, ham, bacon, kababs, meatballs, etc. Processing of meat is licensed under the Meat Food Products Order, 1973. Presently the country has 3,600 slaughterhouses, 9 modern abattoirs and 171 meat-processing units licensed under the meat products order.

Poultry industry is also among the faster growing sectors rising at a rate of 8% per year. It is observed that the vertical integration of poultry production and marketing has lowered costs of production, consumer prices of poultry meat and marketing margins. There are eight integrated poultry processing units in the country, which of course hold a significant share in the industry.

Exports of Meat and Meat Products (Quantity in MT, Value in Rs Mn)

Source: Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Annual Report 2005-06

Meat export is largely driven by poultry, buffalo, sheep and goat meat, which is growing at close to 30% per annum in terms of quantity. It is considered that the growing number of fast food outlets in the country has and will have a notable impact on the meat processing industry.

Marine Products

India is the largest fish producing country in the world it is the third largest fish producer in the world while ranks second in inland fish production. Categorically India’s potential for fishes, from both inland and marine resources, is supplemented by the 8,000 km coastline, 3 mn hectares of reservoirs, 50,600 sq km of continental shelf area, 1.4 mn hectares of brackish water and 2.2 mn sq km of exclusive economic zone.

Processing of marine produce into canned and frozen forms is carried out fully for the export market. With regards to infrastructure facilities for processing of marine products there are 372 freezing units with a daily processing capacity of 10,320 tonnes and 504 frozen storage facilities for safe storage with a capacity of 138,229.10 tonnes, besides there are 11 surimi units, 473 pre-processing centres and 236 other storages.

Processed fish products for export include conventional block frozen products, individual quick frozen products (IQF), minced fish products like fish sausage, cakes, cutlets, pastes, surimi, texturised products and dry fish etc.

Exports of marine products have been inconsistent and on a declining trend which can be owed to the adverse market conditions prevailing in the European and American markets. The anti-dumping procedure initiated by the US Government has affected India’s shrimp exports to the US.

Fish Production & Exports

Source: Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Annual Report 2005-06

Grain Processing

Processing of grain includes milling of wheat, rice and pulses. In 1999-00, there were more than 91,000 rice hullers and 2,60,000 small flourmills which were engaged in primary milling. There are 43,000 modernized rice mills and huller-cum-shellers. Around 820 large flourmills in the country convert about 10.5 mn tonnes of wheat into wheat products. Also there are 10,000 pulse mills milling about 75% of pulse production of 14 mn tonnes in the country.

Primary milling of grains is the considered to be the important activity in the grain-processing segment of the industry. However, primary milling adds little to shelf life, wastage control and value addition. Around 65% of rice production is milled in modern rice mills. However, the sheller-cum-huller mills operating give low recovery. Wheat is processed for flour, refined wheat flour, semolina and grits. Apart from the 820 large flourmills, there are over 3 lakh small units operating in this segment in the unorganised sector. Dal milling is the third largest in the grain processing industry, and have about 11,000 mechanised mills in the organised segment. Oilseed processing is another major segment, an activity largely concentrated in the cottage industry. According to estimates, there are approximately 2.5 lakh ghanis and kolus which are animal operated oil expellers, 50,000 mechanical oil expellers, 15,500 oil mills, 725 solvent extraction plants, 300 oil refineries and over 175 hydrogenated vegetable oil plants.

Indian Basmati rice has gained international recognition, and is a premium export product. Branded grains as well as grain processing is now gaining popularity due to hygienic packaging.

Beer & Alcoholic Beverages

When discussed on alcoholic beverages, India is considered to be the third largest market for alcoholic beverages in the world. The domestic beer and alcoholic beverage market is largely dominated by United Breweries, Mohan Meakins and Radico Khaitan. The demand for beer and spirits is estimated to be around 373 million cases per year. There are 12 joint venture companies having a licensed capacity of 33,919 kilo-litres per annum for production of grain based alcoholic beverages. Around 56 units are manufacturing beer under license from the Government of India.

Country liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor are the two segments in liquor; both cater to different sections of society . The former is very much consumed in rural areas and by low-income groups, while the middle and high-income groups consume the latter.

Liquor license outlets in India figures approximately 23,000 with another 10,000 outlets in the form of bars and restaurants. Regulations in this sector differ state-wise in terms of excise and custom duty. In Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, the distribution is controlled by the state government, and any change XVIII in the ruling party has a direct impact on the availability of alcohol.

The wine industry in India has come into prominence lately and has been receiving support from the Government as well, to promote the industry,. The market for this industry has been estimated to be growing at around 25% annually. Maharashtra has emerged as an important state for the manufacture of wines.

Consumer Foods

This segment comprises of packaged foods, aerated soft drinks, packaged drinking water and alcoholic beverages.

Packaged / Convenience Foods

Consumer food industry mainly consists of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products, salted snacks, chips, pasta products, cocoa based products, bakery products, biscuits, soft drinks, etc.

There are around 60,000 bakeries, several pasta food units and 20,000 traditional food units and in India. The bakery industry is among the few processed food segments whose production has been increasing consistently in the country in the last few years. Products of bakery include bread, biscuits, pastries, cakes, buns, rusk etc. This activity is mostly concentrated in the unorganized sector. Bread and biscuits constitute the largest segment of consumer foods with an annual production of around 4.00 million tonnes. Bread manufacturing is reserved for the small-scale sector. Out of the total production of bread, 40% is produced in the organized sector and remaining 60% in the unorganised sector, in the production of biscuits the share of unorganized sector is about 80%.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa products like chocolates, drinking chocolate, cocoa butter substitutes, cocoa based malted milk foods are highly in demand these days, 20 production units are engaged in their manufacture with an annual production of about 34,000 tonnes.

Soft drinks

After packed tea and packed biscuits the soft drink segment is considered to be the 3rd largest in the packaged foods industry. Over 100 plants are engaged in aerated soft drinks industry and provide huge employment. It has obviously attracted one of the highest FDI in the country. Strong forward and backward linkages with glass, plastic, refrigeration, sugar and the transportation industry further strengthen the position of the industry. Soft drink segment has a huge potential in the Indian market, as a vast portion of the market is still to cover.

Exports of Consumer Foods (Quantity in MT, Value in Rs Mn)

Source: Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Annual Report 2005-06

Constraints & Drivers of Growth

Changing lifestyles, food habits, organized food retail and urbanization are the key factors for processed foods in India, these are post-liberalization trends and they give boost to the sector.

There has been a notable change in consumption pattern in India. Unlike earlier, now the share and growth rates for fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy have gone higher compared to cereals and pulses. Such a shift implies a need to diversify the food production base to match the changing consumption preferences.

Also in developed countries it has been observed that there has been a shift from carbohydrate staple to animal sources and sugar. Going by this pattern, in future, there will be demand for prepared meals, snack foods and convenience foods and further on the demand would shift towards functional, organic and diet foods.

Some of the key constraints identified by the food processing industry include:

Poor infrastructure in terms of cold storage, warehousing, etc
Inadequate quality control and testing infrastructure
Inefficient supply chain and involvement of middlemen
High transportation and inventory carrying cost
Affordability, cultural and regional preference of fresh food
High taxation
High packaging cost

In terms of policy support, the ministry of food processing has taken the following initiatives:

Formulation of the National Food Processing Policy
Complete de-licensing, excluding for alcoholic beverages
Declared as priority sector for lending in 1999
100% FDI on automatic route
Excise duty waived on fruits and vegetables processing from 2000 – 01
Income tax holiday for fruits and vegetables processing from 2004 – 05
Customs duty reduced on freezer van from 20% to 10% from 2005 – 06
Implementation of Fruit Products Order
Implementation of Meat Food Products Order
Enactment of FSS Bill 2005
Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005

Apart from these initiatives, the Centre has requested state Governments to undertake the following reforms:

Amendment to the APMC Act
Lowering of VAT rates
Declaring the industry as seasonal
Integrate the promotional structure

SWOT Analysis of Food–Processing Industry
Strengths

Abundant availability of raw material
Priority sector status for agro-processing given by the central Government
Vast network of manufacturing facilities all over the country
Vast domestic market

Weaknesses

Low availability of adequate infrastructural facilities
Lack of adequate quality control and testing methods as per international standards
Inefficient supply chain due to a large number of intermediaries
High requirement of working capital.
Inadequately developed linkages between R&D labs and industry.
Seasonality of raw material

Opportunities

Large crop and material base offering a vast potential for agro processing activities
Setting of SEZ/AEZ and food parks for providing added incentive to develop greenfield projects
Rising income levels and changing consumption patterns
Favourable demographic profile and changing lifestyles
Integration of development in contemporary technologies such as electronics, material science, bio-technology etc. offer vast scope for rapid improvement and progress
Opening of global markets

Threats

Affordability and cultural preferences of fresh food
High inventory carrying cost
High taxation
High packaging cost

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