High wastage keeps food companies from ploughing export benefits

The second of a 5-part series looks at the challenges in food export business

India ranks among the world’s top producers in most key agricultural commodities. Estimates peg the size of the total food market at $900 billion. Yet, the level of food processing in India, according to experts, is under 10 per cent. The result: Value addition remains low, and food exports are dismal.

Consider this: As a percentage of gross domestic product, India’s agricultural exports stand at 2 per cent only. For Brazil, it is around 4 per cent. Argentina is around 7 per cent, and Thailand is around 9 per cent, a report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said.