'Plant-Based Foods Export Workshop - Development of India’s First Plant Protein Cluster' at VIA Auditorium Nagpur on 4 July 2022

Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) organizes “Plant-Based Foods Export Workshop – Development of India’s First Plant Protein Cluster” at Nagpur as new/ expansion, technology upgradation of Nagpur Dall Millers Cluster or explore all other locations on 4 July 2022 at Vidarbha Industries Association Auditorium from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm. As per the statement issued by Sanjay Sethi, executive director, Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA), “The workshop will kick-off project planning for India's first Plant Protein Cluster. India’s First Plant Protein Cluster can offer opportunities to put India on the plant protein world map by establishing India as a credible supplier to the world for plant protein. This project can benefit Indian farmers and the food processing industry while delivering a variety of tasty, protein-rich, healthy, sustainable, and high-quality plant-protein products."

The workshop will be attended by the Agricultural and Processed Food Exports Development Authority (APEDA), Multi Modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA), Vidarbha Dall Millers Association (VDMA), MIHAN Industries Association (MIA), Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) and industry leaders, complete with state-of-the-art further value addition processing infrastructure for pulses, millets, grains, cereals.

The plant-based foods sector is in its nascent stage but it is poised with tremendous potential for growth ahead. The growing number of quality alternatives to meat, eggs, seafood, dairy, and pet foods will enable consumers to find delectable alternatives which will ensure their smooth transition to a plant-based diet.

Sustainability, ensuring climate action and improving individual and public health are all enabled by the industry. India seems to be in early stages for plant-based meat substitutes, however, the market is opening up with significant opportunities for growth led by new product launches by homegrown companies.

The Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) is a CEO-led body of 60 plant-based companies growing at a very fast pace. We recently organized a massive event the 1st Plant Based Foods Summit which was supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Honourable Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel mentioned that “I will extend my full support to build a strong plant-based foods industry in India as it’s of personal interest to me having distanced myself from any kind of food that includes any kind of cruelty for quite some time now”. Here it was concluded (through deliberations as well as in the published report) that India has a huge opportunity to capture world plant-protein market. As per the reports published proceeding the event in collaboration of PBFIA, the Indian market of plant-based foods will reach US$400 to 450 million in the 5 years.

Plant-based meat fundamentally has main ingredients of Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) and/or High Moisture Meat Analogues (HMMA) which is produced from plant-protein flour, concentrates and/or isolates through the process of extrusion. This requires working with farmers, providing new varieties, and new processing facilities for high value-addition to pulses, coarse grains, millets and select oilseeds.

Nagpur region is ideally located comprising of 120 dal mills and other commodities in abundance in the vicinity (Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions) including in the nearby regions in the states of Telangana (Adilabad), Madhya Pradesh (Chhindwara, Jabalpur), and Chhattisgarh (Rajnandgaon). The upcoming MIHAN project will bring an ideal strategic reach with connectivity to rail terminal, road terminal and domestic and international air cargo terminal.

Nagpur Dall Millers Cluster is India’s first common facility centre (CFC) for dal mill cluster went operational in 2017 under the category of Food Processing Industry. The cluster brings 42 units. Looking at the rising demand of plant-protein in the world, Nagpur Dall Millers Cluster is a strategic place to set up India's first plant-protein cluster. This would mean the production of high-value, high-quality TVP and HMMA with the deployment of new-gen twin-screw extruders. The value-addition will be a step-up from the current primary processing of pulses.

APEDA is taking a keen interest in this opportunity for developing an export-oriented cluster for plant-based foods and will be represented by a high-level delegation on 4th July at Nagpur workshop. Setting up the plant protein cluster in Nagpur has the possibility to foster growth, doubling farmers income, creating more jobs, and opportunities to collaborate and co-invest in local eco-system, thereby establishing India as a plant[1]protein supplier to the world.

The Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) proposes setting up of an SPV led by a cooperative on a mega scale to develop a plant protein cluster in Nagpur area for setting up common services infrastructure.

The key partners invited to join this Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) are as follows:

1. Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA)

2. A new cooperative to be formed by PBFIA

3. Nagpur Dall Millers Cluster

4. Novozymes (Denmark)

5. JU Agri Sciences (India)

6. AAK India (HQ: Sweden)

7. Diet Foods International (India)

8. Vegolution (India)

9. 3P Group (India)

10. Krystal Ventures Studio (India)

Objectives

1. To develop the export potential and identify potential collaborators and beneficiaries

2. To understand infrastructural requirements and complementing procedures required for upgrading the Nagpur region for the development of plant-based foods exports

3. To evaluate potential areas where a plant protein cluster can be developed

4. To collaborate with various stakeholders and research & development institutions for plant-based product innovation