<p style='text-align:justify;'>Food processing is the key to the viability of agriculture sector. Reduction of wastages of agricultural produce and value addition are the pre-requisites for achieving this viability. This is the only sector that gives economic sustainability to the farmers by providing opportunities for demand driven cluster farming which further results in ample employment opportunities from the landless labour up to highly skilled individuals.FAD is a flagship event of ASSOCHAM Gujarat Council. This year FAD 2018 is the 12th edition of ASSOCHAM. The earlier 11 series of FAD was a grand success with participation from various country partners, delegation from International business community &amp; state partners.<b> All the earlier summits witnessed presence of more than 200 delegates and eye catching media presence with presence of Hon&rsquo;ble State Minister for FPI, GoI, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.&nbsp;</b></p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Recognizing and Celebrating Food &amp; Agri Innovation Excellence Awards 2018&nbsp;</b></p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>&nbsp;Food &amp; Agri Innovation have transformed several sectors hence Food processing Sector also desperately needs to get its share for excellence in new food, agri and innovation to move forward. In this context ASSOCHAM for the last five editions have been announcing its Innovation &amp; Excellence Awards, which have been a grand success because of versatility of applications, thoroughness of evaluation process, and presence of experts in food, agri , innovation and business space as Award Jury. &nbsp;This year too ASSOCHAM announced it&rsquo;s &ldquo;INNOVATION &amp; EXCELLENCE AWARDS-2018&rdquo; in concurrence with 12th FAD 2018, Summit cum Exhibition on 19th September, 2018 at Hotel Pride, Ahmedabad, to recognize and felicitate food &amp; allied industry to continue &amp; contribute in providing excellence in this sector thereby bringing new approaches for accelerating country&rsquo;s economic growth and social development in FP sector.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>FAD 2018 witnessed presence of more than 200 delegates from different sectors of Industries alongwith participation of other states like Telangana, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab as partner for the summit.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>&nbsp;The Summit was very timely and fitting, as food processing has moved on from being a craft to a modern technology. The principles of operation and design of industrial equipment, used in the processing, storage and packaging of foods may play an important role in the processed foods of the future. In order to meet the sensory, quality, safety, nutrition, health, economic and novelty demanded of food products by consumers, it is necessary to design and engineer food process operations to enhance product&apos;s quality, safety, yield, and profitability to compete at international market.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti,</b> &nbsp;Hon&apos;ble Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing Industry, Government of India congratulated ASSOCHAM for organizing such programmes to promote farmers and the entire FP and allied sectors. She encouraged the industry and investor to form clusters and put forth their projects for investments in agro and food processing. She emphasized on people&rsquo;s participation with government and get maximum benefits from the various schemes of the government. She ensured the industry for maximum government support. She said that Gujarat Government is very active in Food Processing sector and Gujarat has the appropriate environment for Industry. Synthesis of Ministry-AgricultureIndustry plays vital role for developing our country more. She announced about the various subsidies under this scheme for setting up cold chain and mega food park.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>During the Summit Knowledge Paper on Food Processing, Agri and Dairy &ldquo;Challenges &amp; Strategies : Doubling the Farmer&rsquo;s Income : Mission 2022&rdquo; &nbsp;was released. The Knowledge Paper was prepared by Abhyuday Techno Economic Consultant.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Innovation and Excellence Awards 2018 were distributed by the Guests of the Summit to recognize and honor the Indian food industry brightening stars who have achieved excellence in various segments involved in Agriculture, Dairy and Food processing Sector. &nbsp;</b></p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>While congratulating ASSOCHAM and addressing the participants, &nbsp;<b>Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti,</b> Hon&rsquo;ble Minister of State, Food Processing Industries, GoI informed about the SAMPADA scheme launched by GoI, which will be implemented by MoFPI with an objective to boost the food processing sector in the country and help farmers provide better value for their produce and ensure doubling of farmer&rsquo;s income. She said that the scheme is to promote SMEs in Food Processing sector. She announced about the various subsidies under this scheme for setting up cold chain and mega food park. &nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>&nbsp;To enhance the competitiveness of the FP and allied sectors in the world market by developing value-added foods based on higher quality standards, skilling manpower, improved processing techniques &amp; innovations, development and promotion of high-quality and value-added agro-products combined with changing market and consumer preferences amid recent trends in economic development and globalization, were discussed during the Summit.&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>&nbsp;The Technical session&rsquo;s speakers also shared their expertise, technological know-how and presented new innovations and trends prevailing in the national and international market. Topics on employment generation, skilling manpower in this sector as well as Food safety were also discussed. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
        <p style='text-align:justify;'>&nbsp;FAD 2018 also gave an opportunity of exhibition to the Industry, Banks, and Institutes to showcase their products/ services.&nbsp;</p>
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