India's processed food exports may jump by over 66 per cent to $25 billion by 2015, provided that an investment of $30 billion is pumped into the sector, an industry body study said. During 2009-10, the processed food exports stand at about $15 billion.
"India requires over $30 billion investment, including both domestic and foreign funding, in the next five years to substantially lift up the share of processed food in the country's total trade," an Assocham study said.
The sector has attracted about $4 billion investments till date, it said.
The study said that with an increase in investment levels, the share of fruits and vegetables would increase to 10 per cent from 2.2 per cent, fisheries to 40 per cent from 26 per cent and poultry to 15 per cent from 6 per cent, in the next five years.
"India's low level of processing is expected to change significantly in the future, fuelled by sustained economic growth and steady urbanisation," Assocham president Swati Piramal said in a statement.
ITC, Dabur, Britannia, Parle, Amul, Godrej and Venky's are the major Indian firms, which are present in the food processing sector, while multinational companies include Walmart, Nestle, Pepsi, Coke, Kelloggs, Unilever and Glaxo have their operations in the country.
