<p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Webinar on "Impact of Covid-19 on Agro and Food Processing Industries in the State of Madhya Pradesh: Challenges and way forward"</b></p>
          <p style='text-align:center;'><b>14 July 2020 </b></p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>ASSOCHAM's Gujarat Council has organized a webinar on 14July 2020. Theme ofthe webinar was<b> "Impact of Covid-19 on Agro and Food Processing Industries in th.e State of Madhya Pradesh: Challenges and way forward"</b></p>

          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>SPEAKERS AT THE WEBINAR</b></p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Moderator: Prof. V Padmanand,</b> Partner, Grant Thornton India LLP</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Eminent Speakers were</b></p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> - Shri Sanjay Pathak, </b>Deputy Director, Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of Madhya Pradesh</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>- Dr. D. S. Chauhan,</b> General Manager, NABARD Regional Office, MP</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>- Shri. DhavalRaval, Chairman Food Processing Committee, ASSOCHAM Gujarat Council &CMD, Abhyuday Group of Companies</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> - Shri. Gerald d'Almeida,</b> Director, SBAGS International FPC Ltd</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>- Dr. Davish Jain,</b> Group Managing Director, PRESTIGE Group</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>- Shri. RamnathSuryavanshi,</b> CEO, Global Food Tech</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>- Shri. NareshMaheshwari,</b> MD, FTI Food Tech Pvt. Ltd</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> SUMMARY OF WEBINAR</b></p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Prof. V Padmanand,</b> Partner, Grant Thornton India LLP</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Food and grocery constitute a substantial part of India&apos;s consumption basket
          
          accounting for around 31 percent share in the total.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · In contrast, consumers in other countries spend a much lower proportion of their income on food and grocery—9 percent in the United States (US), 17 percent in Brazil and 25 percent in China.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Food and grocery is the largest segment in India&apos;s retail sector, with a share of more than 60 percent in India&apos;s total retail market.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Most of its agriculture exports serve developing and least developed nations. Indian agricultural/horticultural and processed foods are exported to more than 120 countries, primarily to the Japan, Southeast Asia, SAARC countries, the European Union and the United States</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Shri. DhavalRaval, Chairman Food Processing Committee, ASSOCHAM Gujarat Council &CMD, Abhyuday Group</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· India is Fastest growing economy in the world, with largest production of several agri commodities. It ranks 2nd in terms of total food production globally, next to China.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Food processing was only sector perform positive growth in COVID-19</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Madhya Pradesh is having too much potential for Food processing sector which is untapped as of now</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· There are over 1.2 billion consumers with increasing demand for branded food. Apart from that we are the 4th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. Our country will excel and accede in Agro & Food Processing Sector with the help of proactive government policies attractive fiscal incentives, focusing on development of infrastructure, ports, logistics & Supply chain, and availability of skilled personnel.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Shri Sanjay Pathak,</b> Deputy Director, Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of Madhya Pradesh</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Madhya Pradesh has been selected as it is blessed by natural resources and abundant raw material. MP is the second largest State in the Country stretching over 308,000 sqkms. Nearly about 75% of the population in Madhya Pradesh depends on agriculture.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Investment promotion assistance with Government Proactiveness have encouraged the State&apos;s development in Agro & Food Processing Sector. Secondly, the agriculture sector forms almost one-third of the GSDP and this forms the backbone of the MPs economy.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Madhya Pradesh is also the largest producer of pulses and oilseeds in the country. Apart from that many food parks are coming to Madhya Pradesh to explore their business potential.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Dr. D. S. Chauhan, </b>General Manager, NABARD Regional Office, MP</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· All the manufacturing and service sectors were hit not only in domestic but also in the foreign markets.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· It is only the agricultural industry which has defeated Corona as during the Corona lockdown, our farmers not only sold rabi crops but also sown for kharif season.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Shri. Gerald d'Almeida,</b> Director, SBAGS International FPC Ltd</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· MP is the top in the country in production of Pulses, Oilseeds, Oranges, Coriander, Gram and Soybean, while the state is second largest producers of food grains, sesame seeds, guava, tomato, garlic, mustard, green peas, green chili and onion.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· In the production of, Citrus fruits, Cabbage, Red Chili and Cereals, Madhya Pradesh stands on third position, while the state stands fifth in the production of Milk.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· The US has developed, over 600 soybean value added products whereas in our country, hardly 20 soya products are currently manufactured.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Global market of soybean and its products like soya oil, soyameal and by products like phytosterols, tocopherols, choline are in the stages of development.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Dr. Davish Jain,</b> Group Managing Director, PRESTIGE Group</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· The Corona pandemic has not only changed our personal lives, but also the way we think and do business.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· If we have had bumper Rabi harvest this year, the monsoon for the season indicates that the kharif crop would also be bountiful. The agriculture sector has proved that as long as there is hunger, there is negligible effect of the pandemic on the food and agricultural sector.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · Food processing could also provide Nutraceuticals to 135 Crore Indians as also to the people across the world so as to enhance immunity with strong ability to fight against diseases that is why we say prevention is better than cure.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · This is what has happened in the development of Madhya Pradesh. Almost 78% of population in our state is dependent on agriculture.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· After COVID-19 epidemic China is on backfoot thus India has great opportunity in soya advance value products like phytosterols and many more.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· The Madhya Pradesh government should also understand that about 78 percent of the state's population is dependent on agriculture. Soybean cultivation has proved to be a boon for small farmers of the state.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· With abundant farming of agricultural produce in the country, Madhya Pradesh has all the potential to become the largest food processing state of the country. Proper development of the food processing industry here will not only create new jobs for agriculture but it will also increase income of the farmers.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Shri. RamnathSuryavanshi,</b> CEO, Global Food Tech</p>
        
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· Explained FSSAI Food Hygiene and Food Safety Guidelines for Food Businesses during Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · It is the responsibility of the FBO to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) as prescribed in Schedule IV of FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· He also explained roles and responsibility of Food businessman during COVID19 pandemic</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Shri. NareshMaheshwari,</b> MD, FTI Food Tech Pvt. Ltd</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'>· MSP should be replaced by a more equitable hectare and quality based pricing in other words the Bhavantar scheme. Imports of oils should be discouraged with duty mechanism and may be a quota capping.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · Encourage exports by way of enhanced incentives.</p>
          
          <p style='text-align:justify;'> · GST on all agricultural produce and products including the processors output should be totally exempt and to say that there is no tax on the food plate for Indians.</p>