According to APEDA data, India is the largest producer of vegetables such as ginger and okra and second largest producer of vegetables such as potatoes, onions, cauliflowers, brinjal, and cabbages. While it is the largest producers of fruits such as Bananas, Papayas, and Mangoes.
There is a huge opportunity in harnessing the potential of fruits and vegetables processing in India in the form of frozen (IQF), canned, pulp, puree, paste, sauces, snacks, dressings, flakes, dices, dehydration, pickles, juices, slices, chips, jams and jelly.
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka are the major Fruits producing States, whereas Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Odisha are the major Vegetables producing States of the country (As per 3rd advance estimates of 2022-2023)
The Government of India through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is also taking all necessary steps to boost investments in the food processing industry. Under PMKSY, the government has sanctioned 41 Mega Food Parks of which 24 are operational.
As per the APEDA provisional data, processed fruits and vegetables recorded a growth of 8.34% (Apr-Oct 2023), while fresh fruits and vegetables registered a 14.81% growth in comparison to the corresponding months of the previous year.
During 2022-23, India exported fresh fruits and vegetables worth $1635.95 Mn which comprised Fresh Fruits worth $770.70 Mn and vegetables worth $865.24 Mn. Exports of processed fruits and vegetables including of pulses touched $2,248.96 Mn which comprised of processed vegetables including of pulses $1,511.14 Mn and processed fruits and juices $737.81 Mn in 2022-23.