Conference on Agribusiness: Opportunities and Challenges
Towards Global Competitiveness in the Food Processing Sector
Friday, September 9, 2005: Hotel Inter-Continental The Grand Palace, Srinagar

Conference report

India Development Foundation, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries and the British High Commission organised a conference-cum-workshop on prospects and challenges in the agribusiness sector in India, with a special focus on the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The workshop was attended by around 100 representatives from the government, bureaucrats, food processing industrialists, exporters, local and regional industry associations, and academic and research institutions. The chief guest for the conference was Mr. A. A. Zargar, Honourable Minister for Agriculture, Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

The aim of the conference was two-pronged. One was to create awareness among the food processing industries in Jammu and Kashmir regarding food safety standards and quality management issues like health and hygiene in processed foods. Second was to discuss the prospects and challenges that exist in Jammu and Kashmir in the agribusiness sector, especially high-value segments like horticulture, meat processing and floriculture. The conference was organised in the local language 'Urdu' for a wider outreach to the target audience. The conference discussed the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures that every country now needs to comply with as part of the Agreement on Agriculture signed under the WTO.

The conference began with a welcome address by Mr. Sanjay Puri, Chairman CII J&K State Council. Dr. Amir Ullah Khan from IDF introduced the theme for the conference, and highlighted the importance of holding sessions and workshops in the regional and local languages. He spoke about the need for the Indian food processing industries to face the challenges of stringent food safety standards. He cautioned that one must not be complacent even if one does not export food or food products because slowly the distinction between domestic and international standards on food safety and hygiene is fast dwindling, and even domestic food standards are becoming more and more stringent. Dr. Khan briefed the participants about the work done by IDF in the area of food processing and food-safety standards. He also thanked the sponsors, the British High Commission, for their financial assistance and support in making this exercise possible.Presentation

IDF has done path-breaking work in the area of agribusiness, with special focus on high-value segments of agriculture, food processing and food safety standards. In the conference, the chief guest, Mr. Zargar, released a volume compiled by IDF, on food safety standards for a variety of food products, under the SPS Agreement of the WTO. The manual is accompanied by a CD-ROM that contains all the information in electronic format. Dr. Khan also demonstrated a website developed by IDF on food safety standards. This volume, the CD-ROM and this website have been designed in a user-friendly manner for easy dissemination of information among the target audience - the food processing industries, and the policy-making institutions in the country. For greater outreach, this volume and the CD has been translated in five languages - Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and Tamil.

Appreciating the efforts of IDF and CII, the chief guest expressed his satisfaction for being a part of this major capacity-building exercise. He reiterated the commitment of his government to extend every possible support to this sunrise sector, and underlined its importance in value addition and employment generation potential in the agriculture sector. He announced that six food parks shall be established in J&K through assistance from the central government. He thanked IDF for its pioneering endeavours in addressing the pressing concerns of the food processing industry, and called for a public-private partnership for overcoming the challenges.

Other dignitaries present in the inaugural session of the conference were Mr. Shaqeel Qalender from the Federation Chamber of Industries J&K, Mr. S. S. Kapur Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Government of J&K and Mr. Irfan Yasin from the Government of J&K. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks by Mr. Sanjay Puri.

The second session was the technical session focussed on food safety standards. Dr. Khan gave a detailed introductory presentation in Urdu on the need and importance of SPS measures, and how food processing industries can live-up to the challenges of complying with those stringent standards. He outlined the steps needed in order to take the industry to higher levels of technical competence for meeting the international food standards.

Dr. G.M. Wani, Director, Extension Services, Sher-e-Kashmir University also made a presentation on how the food processing industry can use the local knowledge and expertise in adhering to higher food safety standards. He underlined the importance of scientific farm practices in overall food quality as quality in food begins at the farm-level itself. He talked about innovative formats of involving the local people to use their traditional knowledge and wisdom in increasing food quality and safety.Presentation

The second session finished with an interactive round of discussion of the speakers with the participants on various facets of SPS and other food-safety standards.

The third and final session began after lunch. This session was focused on the opportunities and challenges in the agribusiness sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Asghar Samoon, Commissioner Srinagar was the special speaker in this session. This session was chaired by Dr. G. M. Wani.

Dr. A. Siddiqui from J&K State Industrial Development Corporation spoke about the emerging trends in the agribusiness sector in J&K. He highlighted the state's potential in high-value segments like floriculture, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, organic farming and dairy-processing units. He showcased the achievements of the two food parks established in Jammu and Kashmir, and thanked the government for deciding to setup 6 more such parks. He encouraged the youth to setup micro-enterprises in the agribusiness sector to exploit the state's comparative advantages in this sector. Presentation

Dr. Samoon talked about the status of the meat processing industry in J&K. Meat forms an integral part of the dietary habits of the people of J&K, and safety and hygiene is crucial in this industry. He talked about the poor hygiene standards in most meat processing units in the state, and underscored the need for reorganising the meat industry on modern, scientific lines. He highlighted the importance of proper infrastructure, especially the cold chain systems for fuller exploitation of the potential of meat industry in the state.

Mr. Harsh Vivek from IDF spoke about the key opportunities in horticulture for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He presented a quick summary of the course of events in the conference, the major issues discussed and the agreement on what should be the way forward. Presentation