World Food India 2023: PM to disburse seed capital assistance to over 1 lakh SHGs tomorrow

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday disburse seed capital assistance to over one lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) and inaugurate a food street as part of the second edition of 'World Food India 2023' in the national capital.

The first edition was held in 2017, but in consecutive years the international event could not be organised due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Modi will inaugurate the second edition of World Food India at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. The three-day event will conclude on November 5. On this occasion, the prime minister will disburse 'Seed Capital Assistance' for over one lakh SHG members with an aim to strengthen SHGs.

This support will help SHGs gain better price realisation in the market through improved packaging and quality manufacturing, an official statement said. Modi will also inaugurate a 'Food Street' as part of World Food India 2023. It will feature regional cuisines and royal culinary heritage, wherein over 200 chefs will participate and present traditional Indian cuisine, making it a unique culinary experience, it said.

The event aims to showcase India as ‘food basket of the world' and celebrate 2023 as International Year of Millets. It will provide a networking and business platform for government bodies, industry professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to engage in discussions, establish partnerships, and explore investment opportunities in the agri-food sector. CEOs roundtables will take place with focus on investment and ease of doing business. Various pavilions will be set up to showcase the innovation and strength of the Indian food processing industry.

The event will host 48 sessions focusing on various aspects of the food processing industry, with an emphasis on financial empowerment, quality assurance and innovations in machinery and technology. The event is poised to host participants from over 80 countries, including CEOs of prominent food processing companies. It will also feature a 'Reverse Buyer Seller Meet', with over 1,200 overseas buyers.

The Netherlands will serve as the partner country, while Japan will be the event's focus country. Last month, a senior food processing ministry official said the food processing sector is likely to attract more than Rs 75,000 crore investment during the second edition of World Food India. In the first edition, Rs 75,000 crore was committed, out of which Rs 23,000 crore has come, the official added.