Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared an article by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirming the government’s commitment to enhancing India’s domestic food processing capacity, describing it as vital for national security, rural prosperity, and economic resilience.
Responding to a post by the Finance Minister’s office on X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) wrote, “Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman highlights that strengthening domestic food processing capacity is a national security priority. The Minister underscores how initiatives aligned with the ‘One District, One Product’ vision are empowering farmers, generating local jobs, and promoting rural self-reliance.”
In her post on X, Sitharaman elaborated on initiatives taken to promote local agro-processing. “An umbrella brand of Kalyana Sampada was created, and each district was encouraged to identify an agri-product or a set of products that could be developed into value-added commodities. The initiative aligns with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi’s vision of the ‘One District, One Product’ programme as an extension of Make in India for our annadatas (farmers),” she wrote.
She further noted that in each district, a Farmer Producer Company (FPC) was chosen by NABARD to operate food processing and training units. “My MPLADS funds were leveraged to support farmers of the region by bringing agro-processing capabilities to their doorstep,” she added.
In her article for Hindustan Times, the Finance Minister emphasised that building a robust food processing sector is not only essential for ensuring food security but also for creating sustainable livelihoods, supporting rural entrepreneurship, and driving inclusive economic growth.