Food processing and value addition take centre stage at ICC’s Krishi Vikram 2026

Union Minister Chirag Paswan, NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Ashok Kumar Lahiri and Economic Advisory Council Chairman Prof. S. Mahendra Dev called for higher farmer incomes, stronger processing infrastructure and sustainable agriculture at the national conference.

The Indian Chamber of Commerce organised the second edition of Krishi Vikram in New Delhi, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, farmer producer organisations, financial institutions and farmers to discuss the future of India’s agriculture and food processing sector under the theme, “Viksit Krishi for Viksit Bharat 2047.”
The conference focused on increasing farmer incomes through value addition, food processing, technology adoption and stronger market linkages.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan said India has made significant progress in agricultural production but must now focus on creating greater value through food processing.

“For decades, we as a nation focused on production and volume in agriculture, and rightly so, because there was a time when India was food deficit. Today we not only meet our own needs but feed several other countries. What we missed, and what my Prime Minister has now made a priority, is value. Farmers throw potatoes and tomatoes on the roads not because there is no demand, but because they lack the holding capacity that only processing can give them,” Paswan said.
He added that initiatives such as the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme have encouraged entrepreneurship and highlighted the need to improve public perception of processed food while combining quality with scale for global markets.

Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, said India had achieved record foodgrain production and agricultural exports but continued to face substantial post harvest losses.
“Production alone will not take us to Viksit Bharat 2047. We lose close to eighteen and a half billion dollars every year to agricultural wastage, and post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables run as high as fifteen to eighteen percent before produce even reaches the market,” Lahiri said.
He said greater emphasis on value added products, producer institutions and climate resilient farming would be important for improving the sector’s competitiveness.

Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said agricultural policy has increasingly shifted from production targets towards improving farmer incomes.
He emphasised the importance of diversification into high value crops, livestock, fisheries, food processing and stronger producer organisations, while highlighting agro processing as a source of rural employment and industrial development.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, Director General, Indian Chamber of Commerce, said technology, information access and expanding trade agreements are creating new opportunities for Indian agriculture. He also stressed the importance of attracting younger generations to the sector through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Shrikant Goenka, Chairman, ICC Agri Business and Food Processing Committee and Managing Director, Premier Irrigation Technologies Pvt. Ltd., said India’s agriculture must become more productive, climate resilient and technology driven through greater adoption of precision farming, efficient irrigation, post harvest management and digital decision making.
The conference also featured participation from farmer producer organisations, agri startups, financial institutions and farmer representatives from across the country.

At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter