The government on Thursday held a round-table discussion with CEOs and representatives of leading packaged food companies over concerns surrounding the ease of doing business, GST rates, PLI scheme and other regulatory challenges. Over 100 senior executives and CXOs attended the closed-door meeting, which was chaired by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal along with Minister of Food processing Industries Chirag Paswan on the sidelines of the World Food India 2024.

Companies, including ITC, PepsiCo India, Britannia, Nestle India, Tata Consumer Products, Kellanova, Halidram’s and LT Foods, among others, participated, apart from senior officials from various ministries.

Sources said that industry players raised concerns over GST rates, PLI scheme, subsidies, import regulations on certain items, inverted duty structure; trade-related matters such as classification of goods besides other regulatory challenges.

Minister Paswan highlighted Centre’s bid to boost growth of the food processing industry, adding that it has become a key contributor in driving exports, enhancing farmers’ incomes and creating employment opportunities.

Key role in ‘Viksit Bharat’

“We are clear that the food processing industry will play a key role in achieving the ambition of Viksit Bharat. The round-table discussion served as a platform for the industry to put forward their concerns and suggestions. It was a free-wheeling and candid conversation of industry players with the government. It is important that there are no communication gaps between the industry and the government,” Paswan told reporters.

“Issues concerning ease of doing business, GST, taxation, challenges related to import of certain items, concerns around misleading ads, among others, were discussed. The food processing ministry will take taxation-related concerns to the GST Council, which will take the final decision,” he added.

Minister of State for Food Processing & Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, TG Bharath, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Andhra Pradesh and Raghavji Patel, and Minister of Agriculture, Gujarat were also present at the round-table.

World Food India is a 4-day event, which will host participants from nearly 90 countries. The first day of the conference also saw the inauguration of more than 50 food processing units under the PLI and PMKSY schemes, disbursement of credit-linked subsidies to 25,000 PMFME beneficiaries, and sanction of seed capital to 70,000 SHG members at event, an official statement added.

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