At Anuga in Mumbai, industry consultant and founder of Binder Technology, Bhushan Yengade directed the food industry panel. Yengade, who is also the national vice president of CPRTTF, focused the discussion on practical steps to ensure food supply amid current challenges, both for domestic consumption and for exports.
Opening the discussion with an analysis of regional fruit production this year, he raised the very concerning situation regarding the recent Japanese import ban on Indian mangoes. He pointed out that, although local growers produce a very large share of the global mango crop, the country represents less than one percent of international mango export due to our food supply chain limitations. He argued that raising local supply chain standards are a necessary prerequisite to opening up better commercial opportunities for export.
In an interesting case study of deficiencies in the food supply chain, Yengade shared insights from the Binder Technology market survey at Anand, Gujarat, which took place during a disruptive outbreak of livestock disease. He explained the financial challenges the disease brought to small dairy operations and described the cooperative steps local farmers took to keep their supply lines open despite the emergency.
He went on to discuss the weather factors that are creating further concerns for regional production in the current year. Stating that the current dry climate phase has caused a significant lack of monsoon rainfall in the 2026 crop year, he explained that the seasonal deficit will affect upcoming crop yields, making it critical to improve local storage methods to reduce food losses. This has become especially critical since global political tensions are making international trade more unpredictable.
The panelists responded with their suggestions and solutions. Vijay Nagariya, vice president of supply chain and organised retail at Drums Food International, discussed techniques for ensuring product freshness and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to effectively manage store inventories. Dr Shankar Kausley, senior scientist at Tata Consultancy Services, showed how computer modelling research and advanced algorithms can help distribution managers predict consumer demand and prevent supply delays.
Parama Bhadra concluded that emerging technologies should be adopted to protect ingredient supply chains while balancing community food security with business innovation. The panel discussion emphasized that strengthening local supply chains is vital for growing the food industry and reducing food loss and food waste. Especially critical for the industry is the protection of farmers, small-scale operations, and regional production.
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An English-language food and beverage processing and packaging industry B2B platform in print and web, IndiFoodBev is in its third year of publication. It is said that the Indian food and beverage industries represent approximately US$ 900 billion in revenues which implies more than 20% of the country’s GDP. Eliminating the wastage on the farmside can help to deliver more protein to a higher number of the population apart from generating sizable exports. The savings in soil, seeds, water, fertilizer, energy and ultimately food and nutrition could be the most immense contribution that country is poised to make to the moderation of climate change.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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