Food companies looking to enter into e-commerce segment

With rapidly growing e-commerce business, now food companies are looking to use this platform for selling their products so that they can expand their reach and visibility, a top government official said today.
Speaking at the conference on 'India Farm 2 Fork' organised by PHD Chamber, Food Processing Secretary Siraj Hussain said that e-commerce activities have been flourishing in other sectors barring food processing in which corporate entry has yet to happen for e-commerce trade for processed food's retailing.
"Almost all the big players in food sector are looking to enter into the e-commerce space for selling their food items especially the non-perishable products to further expand their reach and visibility," he added.

The Secretary also informed that Food Processing Ministry is seeking comments and views from all stakeholders including the industry on GST for the food, agri and horticulture products.
"As soon as the proposed consultations were over, the Ministry would forward the recommendations of all stakeholders to the Finance Ministry," Hussain said.
While inaugurating the conference Minister of State for Agriculture, Sanjeev Kumar Balyan said, "The government is working on a comprehensive national insurance policy for agriculture sector to shield the farming community against all mis-fortune of their post harvest losses relating to all food and grain products."
Speaking at the same conference Jaipuria Group Chairman Sharad Jaipuria said that policy makers should treat agriculture with preferential treatment so that its growth is revived from currently estimated 3.4 per cent per annum to a higher level.