India is well-positioned to advance in the plant-based food sector but high cost remains a key challenge, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Chairman Abhishek Dev said.
Dev, speaking at an event organised by Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) jointly with the central ministries and UN body FAO, said, “it is not the time to be a spectator, but to act.”
“With abundant raw materials such as soya, pulses, and millets, India is well-positioned to advance in this space,” he stated. However, the high cost of plant-based products remains a key challenge, necessitating improvements in quality, taste, and affordability to drive wider consumer adoption, he added.
Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan inaugurated the plant-based food arena where several companies displayed varied products.
Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark to India, said by leveraging advancements in plant-based food production, India can create impactful solutions that promote health, sustainability, and economic growth.
He also stressed the importance of exploring new avenues for partnerships with Denmark, both domestically and globally, to accelerate the sector’s expansion and position India as a leader in the plant-based food industry, an official statement said.
PBFIA Executive Director Praveer Srivastava said the association is committed towards bridging the gap between stakeholders and government bodies to create an enabling environment for alternative proteins.
