Agro & Food Processing May 2017

Vol 12 Issue 07 May 2017 100/-

ArtiďŹ cial Intelligence:

Growing appetite for intelligent food processing

Banana Mango King of all fruits : Analyzing the global adoration for this Indian fruit

will rescue suicide prone Maharashtra farmers

Frozen foods segment,

yet another giant waiting for assault in Indian food industry

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Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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CONTENTS 45

9

Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Sub Sahara Africa

PackEx India to have a strong supporting partner The Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India Cosmo Films upgrades its anti-fog film for wider applications

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Buhler innovations at Interpack

Artificial ntelligence Growing appetite for intelligent food processing

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The New Steadyedge Pet Container Base

by Sidel Combines Creative Opportunities With Optimum Performance

48 DuPont & University of Virginia Study Demonstrates Probiotics Support respiratory Immune Function

22 Mango - 'King of all fruits' Analyzing the global adoration for this Indian fruit

49 Packing machines: Modularity and digitalisation are the key to more flexibility

50 Customer solutions center for vertical packaging opened in the Netherlands during Interpack 2017

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52

Indian Edible oil Industry at a Glance

Teff rice will be the new entrant in Indian agri sector Govt to form spices farmers’ cos in Arunachal Pradesh

53 Relax norms for greater access to mangoes Organic farming area may treble to 20 lakh hectares by 2020

35 Frozen foods segment, yet another giant waiting for assault in Indian food industry

54 North Eastern States submit Rs.100 cr subsidy Proposal to PMO Delayed commercialization fettering GM crops development

55 Premium edible oil variants give better returns in terms of margins Olive oil is healthy for heart, helps decrease cardio vascular diseases

41 Banana will rescue suicide prone Maharashtra farmers

56 Global bioplastics for packaging market to reach $7.2 bn by 2022 Farmers need to be provided specialized training in food packaging

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

EDITORIAL

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I Editor In Chief Dr. J.V. Parekh jvparekh72@yahoo.com Group Editor Firoz H. Naqvi firoz@advanceinfomedia.com Associate Editor Glenes Bothelo glenes@advanceinfomedia.com Editorial Co-ordinator Chandni Naqvi chandni@agronfoodprocessing.com Graphic Designer Naved H. Kazmi naved@advanceinfomedia.com Advertisement Executive S.H. Hasni hasan@advanceinfomedia.com Circulation Seema Hayat Shaikh seema@advanceinfomedia.com Production Manager Syed Shahnawaz Sayyed Shahnawaz +91-8375034558 Genreal Manager Gyanendra Trivedi Marketing & Circulation Office 121,1st floor, Rassaz Multiplex, Station Road, Mira Road (E), Dist. Thane- 401107 Telefax : +91-22-28555069, Tell.: +91-22-28115068 Mob.: +91-9867992299 E-mail: info@agronfoodprocessing.com sub@advanceinfomedia.com Vol 12 Issue 07 May 2017 Annual Subscription Rs.950/By Normal Post Add Rs. 400/-For Courier Charges Add Rs. 50/- For Outstation Charges Overseas $80 By Air Mail Email:sub@advanveinfomedia.com Single Copy Cost Rs. 100/Printed, Published & Owned By Manzar Aftab Naqvi RNI No. MAHENG /2005/15987 Postal Regd. No. THW /50/2017-2019 Regd. Office Advance Info Media & Event 103,AmarJyot Apartments, Pooja Nagar, Mira Road (E) Dist Thane-401107(Mumbai) Printed At Rolleract Press Services A-83,Ground Floor, Naraina Industrial Area Phase-1, New Delhi -110028

The views expressed in this issue are those of the contributors and are not necessarily those of the magazine.

Though every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the infomation,"Oil & Food Journal" is however not responsible for damages caused by misinterpretation of information expressed and implied within the pages of this issue.

All disputes are to be referred to Mumbai Jurisdiction.

f sources are to be believed the food processing industry is going to be levied in the minimum slab of The Goods and Services Tax, which is 12 per cent. If this is so, the people of this industry will heave a sigh of relief as a high GST would have had an adverse effect on the low-priced food products and indirectly the customer would have had to bear the brunt. In fact, a high GST would have impacted the entire value chain and result in cutting down on procurement of raw materials thereby adversely impacting farmers across India. Also it may lead to lower demand that would also negatively impact investments, exports and employment in the food industry.

Goods and Services Tax is a single indirect tax for the whole nation, which will make India a unified and common market, right from the manufacturer to the consumer. It will be levied at every stage of the production distribution chain by giving the benefit of Input Tax Credit (ITC) of the tax remitted in the previous stages. Therefore, the final consumer will bear only the GST charged by the last dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all previous stages.

On the other hand, a proposal by The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to tax all packaged foods with high fat, sugar and salt content isn’t going down well with food companies and restaurants. And wouldn’t this bring almost all processed food items under the ambit of the proposed levy if implemented. I am skeptical about the move, as is the food industry.

In my opinion the proposed tax means that people who have money can afford to be unhealthy. The statistical fact show that to curb diseases and obesity, FSSAI should ban the ingredients which are harmful like the US did with trans-fat and Europe with high sodium levels, instead of levying additional tax, which becomes more grey and murky for the industry.

We Indians could soon have Tata Group’s ready-to-eat food on our plate as the country’s largest conglomerate may be entering the market dominated by the likes of ITC, MTR and Patanjali.

The competitive landscape in the Indian ready-to-eat market is crowded with over a dozen existing players and several more lined up. Companies are attracted by the large base of young consumers, who form majority of the country’s workforce. Also, RTE packets eliminate the need for cold chain. Food packets can be sold at a kirana shop and stored at room temperature, with just a microwave needed to heat the packaged food before consuming.

I am not too sure about the news but it has been around the market that it was this ambitious entry into the ready-to-eat market that caused bone of contention between former chairmen Cyrus Mistry and Ratan Tata.

India's edible oil industry has welcomed the clearance given by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for commercial cultivation of genetically modified mustard seeds as this would increase the production level of mustard seeds.

India is producing about 7 million tonnes of mustard seeds and the target is to achieve of 15 million tonnes of mustard seed production by 2025, with a sub target of 10 million tonnes by 2020, thereby doubling the income of the farmers. And now the cultivation of GM mustard crop would raise productivity by 20 to 30%.

Jute bags have been symbolic packaging material for sugar in India. At the moment as per government rule, 20 per cent of the sugar has to be compulsorily packed in jute bags.

But now the Sugar mills have asked for complete exemption from packing in jute sacking bags for 2017-18, as jute bags are not apt for packing sugar due to issues like moisture contact and contamination by jute fibres. Many customers like beverages and chocolate manufacturers do not want sugar packed in jute sacks.

The demand is very valid according to me, because sugar as a commodity is unsuitable for packaging in jute bags and hence, should be relieved from the compulsory Jute Packaging Materials Act (JPMA), 1987.

Food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has made a fresh pitch for relaxing rules for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food retail business, suggesting that the current norms have resulted in lower-than anticipated interest from companies.

The government had allowed 100% FDI in locally-produced and manufactured food products in a bid to encourage domestic industry and farmers, besides cutting down on wastage. The policy was announced in February 2016, but companies such as Amazon, Metro Cash & Carry, Grofers and BigBasket that had sought government nod are yet to get a go-ahead. Major retailers such as Walmart, which had studied the model, have, however, stayed away as far as they want to enter when non-food items are also permitted.

Over time, not as many people as the government thought would enter retail, invested in food retail and that is why the food ministry and industry are hoping that certain amount of flexibility should be given.

Editorials are good for keeping my point but the space hinders the pace of my thoughts.

So till next time!

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

AGRI BIZ

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Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Sub Sahara Africa

R

esearch say that Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods. This can be easily achieved if the government works side-by-side with agribusinesses, to link farmers with consumers in an increasingly urbanized Africa.

The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty One cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.”

New Findings Good prospects: Africa’s food and

beverage markets are projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. By way of comparison, the current size of the market is $313 billion, offering the prospect of a three-fold increase, bringing more jobs, greater prosperity, less hunger, and significantly more opportunity enabling African farmers to compete globally.

more than half of the world’s fertile yet unused land. Africa uses only two per cent of its renewable water resources compared to the global average of five per cent. Post-harvest losses run 15 to 20 per cent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure.

Performance boost needed: Africa’s agriculture and agribusinesses are underperforming.

Many developing countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand now export more food products than all of Sub-Saharan Africa combined.

Even as export shares are falling, import of food products is rising. These adverse trends can be reversed through good policies, sustained public-private investment, and strong public-private partnerships backed by open, transparent procedures and processes along the entire value chain.

While it there is a need for significant investment in infrastructure, but at the same time it is important to take care of the related people: in rush to allocate land for agribusiness, care needs to be taken so that acquisitions do not threaten people’s livelihoods and land purchases or leases are conducted according to ethical and socially responsible standards, including recognizing local users’ rights, holding consultations with local communities, and paying fair market-rate compensation for land acquired.

Untapped land and water: Africa has

Adding Value Africa is the world’s leading importer

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and consumer of rice, paying US$3.5 billion for import bills. By increasing rice production, Senegal can help meet local demand but more capital is needed together with greater investment in irrigation and easing restrictions on access to land. Another top importer, Ghana produces more varieties of rice but at significantly higher cost.

“Improving Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors means higher incomes and more jobs. It also allows Africa to compete globally. Today, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand each export more food products than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. This must change,” says Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

Demand for food in Africa is changing dramatically and is opening great opportunities to create new wealth and jobs.

Africa's domestic food market will increase threefold from USD 13 billion today to USD 1 trillion by 2030 says the World Bank. The major challenge is to identify specific value chain opportunities and credible local partners who can coinvest or become a supplier. Nothing works in Africa without partnerships or supply chain management. For companies that will seize this opportunity, the benefits will be exceptional. But will most of the wealth and jobs be created in Africa or in countries that export food to the region?

financier of the food industry. An improved understanding of consumers evolving preferences in terms of quality, convenience, safety and other food attributes is a pre-requisite for producers to respond better to demand trends and successfully compete with imports.

African middle class has less money that in many other parts of the world.

Companies targeting these consumers need to balance the consumers' desires for the latest Western convenience foods with the reality of what they can afford and what they need.

• Build sustainable supply chains - Supply chains reduce risk, improve productivity improve access to capital markets and they help to reduce waste. Processing plants are to be preferably located close to raw material production and ensure that production increases in a sustainable manner. Safely and efficiently producing and delivering these to customers entails tight co-ordination among all stages of the value chain from seed to consumer's table. This requires upgraded hard and soft infrastructure such as reliable cold chains and improved product grades and standards. For example, there is no point in building a state of the art food processing and packaging plant in an African country if raw material supply is in doubt.

• Be regionally and globally export

"We believe, we cannot achieve development unless we industrialise. We are looking at agriculture as one of the important drivers for industrialisation" Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (former AU Chairperson) New entrants into the African market need to follow the following basic steps; • Understand consumers' needs and wants - Consumers are the ultimate

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

competitive-By aiming high enough to be competitive in regional and global markets, food companies will raise their standards and ensure their long term success, even if the bulk of their products are sold on local markets. The aim for Africa should be to develop competitive food, beverage and agro-derivative industries that utilise and develop local and regional resources to supply domestic demand and increase participation in international trade. This is achieved by expanding production capacity and promoting value added expansionary agro-processing activities in a manner that fosters economic activity and inclusivity.

• Build the skills base for the agroprocessing industryTransforming Africa's agro-processing industry into a modern driver of economic growth will require profoundly different set of skills than which currently exist in most African countries. Needed actions include strengthening basic literacy, linking curriculum in primary and secondary schools to applications in farming and the agro-processing industry, expanding vocational education programmes in the large range of technical skills needed by workers in a modern food processing industry, attracting more girl children to the food sciences subjects given the important role women play in African agriculture and broadening undergraduate university education in agricultural facilities to include fields such as food sciences, packaging designs and logistics.

In-depth look at the agro and food opportunities and challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region contains around 950 million people, which is approximately 13% of the global population. Despite drastic changes to economies in this region, agriculture

AGRI BIZ

11 factor in improve crop outputs over the next decade will be yield improvements.

Currently, it’s not uncommon to see postharvest crop losses above 50 percent in the region. In the next decade, African farmers will gain new methodologies and technologies to improve their yields.

The opportunity for large fertilizers and machinery companies to penetrate the African market is likely to greatly increase as farmers seek new ways to improve their output.

remains a crucial sector providing livelihoods for millions of people.

Agricultural makes up a massive portion of most Sub-Saharan countries GDP ranging from 30-60 per cent.

The outlook for agriculture in SubSaharan Africa is broadly positive, it could be much improved by improvements in government policies across the region, by an increase in strategic public and private investments (especially in infrastructure) and by suitably adapted research and extension. Such investments could improve access to markets, reduce postharvest losses, and make much needed inputs more widely available.

A great example of exactly this kind of investment is the new Norwegian funded company Arise. Arise is a cooperation

by Norfund, FMO and Rabobank which seeks to invests in financial institutions in SSA to grow their financial services and capability to supply capital to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The establishment of joint ventures, such as this, will contribute more to the development of banking than just one bank or investment fund on its own.

FAO reports that foreign investment and external financial flows into Africa have quadrupled since 2000. These flows are expected to increase two times further in the next decade.

the next decade, although productivity enhancing investments would mitigate this trend. Food import dependency of resource poor regions, such as North Africa and the Middle East, is projected to intensify providing a huge market for any grain exporters in Africa. In SAA countries grain imports will increase 50 per cent in ten years. Comparatively, North Africa will only see only as 15% increase.

Due to extremely high population growth, SSA has a very young population. The World Bank predicts that more than half of young Africans will enter agricultural careers, mostly in the format of small family farms. Innovating ways for youth to participate in agriculture has the potential to greatly reduce poverty and hunger. Success for these young African farmers relies on their education of land access and tenure, access to financial services, markets, green jobs, and involvement in policy dialogue. All of this has the potential to make the agricultural sector more attractive to young people, providing an additional push that may be needed for them to enter the sector.

Yield Improvements FAO believes that the single greatest

Yield improvements will account for 80 per cent in the increase in crop output in Africa from now to 2020.

Recently, there has been a furry of concern about land-use and crop rotation in the region. But continuous cultivation of existing plots would not necessarily pose problems for sustainable intensification if sufficient use of fertilizers, soil amendment practices and other landaugmenting investments are employed and coupled with continued education to maintain and improve soil quality.

However, a large body of literature in SSA points to soil degradation arising from unsustainable cultivation practices in regions with a high population density, for example parts of Kenya and Malawi.

Continuous cultivation and lack of crop rotation deplete organic carbon levels, making soil less responsive to fertilizer application. This also makes it more difficult for smallholder farmers to benefit from yield gains offered by plant genetic improvement.

There is also an opportunity to improve output by increase agricultural area sustainability. This is likely to make up a much smaller part of the growth in the region. The majority of new crop areas in Africa will be dedicated to

Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to experience rapid population growth.

This, in combination with rising incomes, urbanization, and continuation of current policies and market structures, the production of food crops in many countries is projected to grow more slowly than demand.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s net imports of food commodities are anticipated to grow over

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AGRI BIZ

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cereals. Africa’s existing agricultural resources (crops and fisheries) can all be characterized as underutilized.

Other Themes Maize production is expected to increase considerably, especially in Eastern Africa.

Ethiopia alone accounts for almost 40% of additional production to 2025, followed

by Nigeria (14%) and Sudan (10%).

Increases in caloric intake in Africa will remain modest.

East Africa will see the greatest changes.

It’s possible that the eastern part of the continent will see up to 8 per cent increases in daily caloric intake by 2020.

On the other hand, central Africa will remain relatively the same in the coming decade only increasing daily intake by 1.5 per cent in the same period.

There is a large opportunity for fisheries.

Projections reflect a 36 per cent increase of food fish supply by 2025 compared to the average 2013-15 level, but accounting for significant population growth, the per capita increase is a mere 3 per cent.

Milk production also has enormous potential in economic development and food security in rural areas. This makes dairy an important subsector in SSA. Particularly in Southern and Eastern Africa, commercialisation of the sector has illustrated dairy’s potential to provide a regular income source that reduces poverty and improves living standards.

Eastern Africa currently constitutes more than half of total milk production in SSA.

in Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects and challenges for the next decade.’ Here are some basic facts:

of cereals, pulses, fruits, livestock, dairy, fish, and so on. Here are some of the broader insights:

The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region accounts for more than 950 million people, approximately 13% of the global population. By 2050, this share is projected to increase to almost 22% or 2.1 billion. Undernourishment has been a long-standing challenge, with uneven progress across the region. Despite being reduced from 33% in 1990-92 to 23% in 2014-16, the percentage of undernourishment remains the highest among developing regions. Owing to rapid population growth of 2.7% p.a. over the same period, the absolute number of undernourished people has increased by 44 million to reach 218 million.

Output of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa has more than doubled in the last 25 years.

"The high contribution of the agricultural sector to GDP also underlines the limited diversification of most African economies.

On average, agriculture contributes 15% of total GDP, however it ranges from below 3% in Botswana and South Africa to more than 50% in Chad ... Agriculture employs more than half of the total labour force and within the rural population, provides a livelihood for multitudes of small-scale producers. Smallholder farms constitute approximately 80% of all farms in SSA and employ about 175 million people directly. Recent surveys suggest that agriculture is also the primary source of livelihood for 10% to 25% of urban households."

Economic development typically involves a process of rising productivity in agriculture, along with a shift to producing not just commodity products, but products with higher value-added.

How might that process be encouraged and facilitated across sub-Saharan Africa?

The report has lots of detail on specifics

Agriculture in countries across subSaharan Africa is a large share of GDP, but a much larger share of jobs for many of the poorest people, in an economic context of widespread malnutrition. The OECD FAO Agricultural Outlook 2016 2025 devotes a chapter to ‘Agriculture

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

However, "production growth in SSA has failed to keep pace with demand deriving from population and income growth, resulting in rising imports for food commodities such as wheat, rice and poultry. In many instances, import tariffs have been employed to support domestic producers, particularly relative to other producers outside the region."

In the past, output growth in African agriculture has tended to be driven by more land and more intense cropping, not by improvements in productivity or mechanisation.

"The African model of agricultural growth differed significantly from that of Asia or South America. In Asia, growth was driven largely by intensification, whereas in South America, it was the result of significant improvement in labour productivity arising from mechanisation. By contrast, robust growth in SSA agricultural output has accrued predominantly from area expansion and intensification of cropping systems, as opposed to large-scale improvement in productivity. Productivity per agricultural worker has improved by a factor of only 1.6 in Africa over the past 30 years, compared to 2.5 in Asia."

However, future major expansions in agricultural land seem unlikely. "Much of the underutilised land is concentrated in relatively few countries and between one half and two thirds of surplus land is currently under forest cover. Conversion

AGRI BIZ

of such forest land to agriculture would come at considerable environmental cost."

Thus, the projections for the next decade show only modest rise in agricultural land. More intensive cropping on that land has natural limits, too.

What are some of the main priorities that could help African agriculture to evolve in the direction of higher productivity and higher value-added?

"An important uncertainty that will have a far-ranging impact on production practices and productivity growth is the extent of concentration of agricultural land, which in turn will also be influenced by land tenure policies. Increasing concentration and commercialisation of medium-scale farmers could accelerate the rate of technology adoption, which has been fairly slow to date. Efficiency gains by a growing number of small, medium and large-scale farms linked into vertically integrated value chain with greater opportunity for access to credit, technology, extension services and offtake agreements, could have a meaningful impact on output levels in the coming decade. Commensurate development of upstream and downstream food sectors could increase the opportunities for non-farm income, which may in turn provide relatively productive smallscale producers with the capital to break through the barriers of subsistence agriculture into more commercialised medium-scale stature.

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of post-harvest losses and also inhibit efficient distribution of inputs such as seed and fertiliser. At the same time, it is an underlying factor in high food prices, as it raises the cost of both inputs and imported food products. Substantial differences in price levels between surplus and deficit regions suggest that investments able to reduce the cost of transportation would hold significant benefits to producers and consumers alike.

The enormous population boom coming in sub-Saharan Africa in the next several decades is one of those unseen demographic earthquakes that is going to shake up the world economy in all kinds of ways. For example, there will be enormous economic pressures for migration to the relatively nearby countries of the European Union. The evolution of Africa's agriculture sector will play a significant role in shaping the characteristics and consequences of its population boom.

Success Story Although much of Eastern and Southern Africa is well suited to dairy production,

only Kenya has established a competitive dairy industry. Kenya’s industry is based partly on a formal sector for processed milk and other dairy products, but its dynamic informal sector (based mostly on raw milk) is even more important, supplying over 80 percent of the market.

Kenya’s success largely comes from the entrepreneurship of smallholders’ who choose high milk-yielding cross-bred cattle, improved feeds and paid better attention to animal health. Also, Kenya success points to the importance of improving linkages to the formal sector through cooperative milk collection and milk cooling centers. Even though challenges remain government policy, especially flexibility in setting quality and safety standards for the informal chain were vital.

Agriculture and agribusiness should be at the top of the development and business agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong leadership and commitment from both public and private sectors is needed. For success, engaging with strategic “good practice” investors is critical, as is the need for strengthening of safeguards, land administration systems, and screening investments for sustainable growth. Concluding on an upbeat note, Africa can draw on many local successes to guide governments and investors toward positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

African farmers and businesses must be empowered through good policies, increased public and private investments and strong public-private partnerships,” says Gaiv Tata, World Bank Director for Financial and Private Sector Development in Africa. “A strong agribusiness sector is vital for Africa's economic future.”

Arguably the greatest challenge facing the agricultural sector in SSA is weak infrastructure including transportation networks, access to energy, irrigation systems and stockholding facilities. Poor transportation networks limit access to markets, often exacerbate high levels

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial Intelligence Growing appetite for intelligent food processing Agro & Food Processing May 2017

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

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Creating intelligent systems that learn, adapt, and potentially act autonomously rather than simply execute predefined instructions is the primary battleground for technology vendors

O

ver the past year, we’ve seen a continuing and significant shift towards cloud-based technology.

While the traditional drivers of these solutions include lower upfront costs, easier implementation, and reduced management, for companies with an eye to the future, cloud’s inherent scalability has become an even more important

attribute.

This new focus is largely due to emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) that rely on enormous volumes of information.

Reflecting this trend towards data-driven ecosystems, it is predicted that intelligent

devices will be a key IT consideration for companies in 2017.

Artificial Intelligence in food industry The food manufacturing industry is set to be one of the most affected sectors by the implementation of AI technologies.

The report indicates that early adopters of AI can expect revenue increases of 39

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

meals according to dietary preferences, demonstrate cooking tutorials on its convex video screen, supervise the pantry, organise shopping lists, and arrange grocery delivery.

“Consumers asking for this kind of help when it comes to food shows that millennials want technology to offer them more assistance in planning and cooking healthy meals.

per cent by 2020, while still retaining or retraining 80 per cent of their existing employees. So it appears clear that those already implementing or considering the tech could be set to embrace the biggest returns at the start of the coming decade.

Sorting out the sorting system According to the Infosys report, companies within the fast moving consumer goods market are some of the most likely to report that AI has already disrupted their industry. One of the simplest ways in which the processed and fast food markets can be optimized is by improving the production line. Despite nearly all areas of the production line being highly automated already, advocates of AI claim that smarter machines could revolutionize the industry, substantially reducing food waste, and saving millions year on year.

TOMRA manufacturers of food sorting machines, advocate the use of AI during the food sorting stage of the production line. There are two potential methods in which the process could be optimized, and for each it’s important to bear in mind the amount of waste that accrues in the name of quality standards.

"AI can sort potatoes into those set for French fry production, or those better suited to crisp or potato wedge products."

Potatoes deemed too small or misshapen for fries, or fries that are too long, small or thin will be discarded. However, an intelligent machine could take into account data detailing the minimum standard of quality that members of the public are willing accept from their French fries, allowing for a greater number of misshapen fries to be accepted into the

end batch. Similarly, AI can sort potatoes into those set for French fry production, or those better suited to crisp or potato wedge products, meaning less waste will be created in the first place.

Making fast food faster One of the more traditional criticisms of AI is its potential to put low-skilled employees out of work. While the evidence suggests that the implementation of the technology creates more jobs than it replaces, it is true that there is the chance for a significant swathe of obsolescence in food manufacturing employment. Momentum Machines is a San Francisco, US-based Company that claims to eliminate the need for fast food burger cooks. The 24 square foot machine-powered burger assembly line is capable of creating 400 burgers an hour, only starting production after an order is placed, revolutionizing an industry eponymously associated with speed, saving companies hundreds of thousands in worker wages, but potentially leaving tens of thousands without a job.

One promising product is Hello Egg, the AI-powered ‘homecooking sidekick’ on a mission to empower millennials to eat more healthily. Developed

by US-based RnD64, this voice-controlled, egg-shaped home assistant rivals competitors Google Home and Amazon Echo, integrating AI to address any and all kitchen needs.

It can plan weekly

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

There is an appetite for technology in the market that AI can address. While various technologies fit under the umbrella term including natural language processing, image recognition and machine learning – the overall cost of AI is lowering. Brands can tap into a myriad of opportunities that AI presents.

Intelligent cleanliness - next to godliness?

Current technologies cannot accurately determine exactly how dirty food and drink processing equipment is inside, cleaning can last up to five hours a day to minimise food safety risks.

“Cleaning accounts for 30 per cent of energy and water use which leads to excessive productivity down time and over-use of chemicals, at huge cost to manufacturers and the environment” The University of Nottingham’s artificially intelligent sensor system for the cleaning of food manufacturing equipment is a demonstration of how all aspects of industry can be affected by the dawn of artificial intelligence. According to the university, £100m a year can be saved simply through the optimization of equipment cleaning, which currently accounts for 30% of energy and water use in the sector, and can take up to five hours out of every working day.

Safety and hygiene laws dictate a

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certain standard of cleanliness in food manufacturing that must be adhered to, and current cleaning models assume the worst, that all areas require an intensive clean. The university is assessing the potential of using an artificially intelligent inspection system, equipped with ultrasonic and optical sensors, aiming to reduce cleaning times and resources by 20%-40%.

While artificial intelligence is currently a hot topic across all sectors globally, the food and drinks market looks to be one of the most immediately affected industries. Already companies are commenting on the changes noticeable in their marketplace. It appears as though whether the industry wants it or not, it must be prepared to embrace the coming artificial revolution.

“This self-predicting system will be able to autonomously optimize the cleaning process in plant equipment in real-time” This use of AI cognitive decision-making for a novel Self-Optimizing-Clean-InPlace (SOCIP) system will be world-first.

SOCIP would be a major cost-cutting technology for the food and drink industry with spin-out applications in other sectors such as pharmaceutical, FMCG and cosmetics.

For a medium-sized dairy, cleaning typically costs £1m a year with loss of production time responsible for at least half of that cost. Using SOCIP on a dairy of this size is estimated to reduce annual water usage by 270,000 litres and energy consumption by 2,400 megawatt-hour which will save net of £300,000 a year.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Quietly Changing How You Shop “The writer William Gibson once

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

said that the future is here, just not evenly distributed.”

That was the case with the World Wide Web 20 years ago, when some business models – notably e-commerce and new media took off faster than others.

Now a similar trend is happening with artificial intelligence, or AI.

and 1,500 decisions a day, while taking into account customer data and insights, head-office directions and plain instinct.

This means it can sometimes take days or weeks for grocery stores to optimize their prices to sync with fluctuations in demand. Running a grocery store is very complicated, and you’re always just one mistake away from running a loss.

The promise of AI has seemingly been just on the horizon for years, with little evidence of change in the lives of most consumers. A few years ago, buzzwords like “big data” hinted at the potential, but ending up generating little actual impact. That's now changing, thanks to advancements in AI like deep learning, in which software programs learn to perform sometimes complex tasks without active oversight from humans.

With Introduction to AI, grocers can set acceptable price ranges for any product, and prices could change by the hour, depending on inventory levels and fluctuations in demand… The window in which to course-correct if an item doesn’t sell could be measured in minutes or hours, rather than in days or months.

Deep learning algorithms have been powering self-driving cars and making quick progress in tasks like facial recognition. Now these innovations are beginning to find their way into the daily lives of consumers as well.

In grocery Imagine walking into the produce aisle of your local grocery store and being able to look at a digital display, instead of a wrinkly plastic tab, to figure out the price of a head of lettuce.

The prices displayed on the screen would change in real time based on a host of factors including inventory size and shelf life, as well as more complex variables such as the weather, time of day and day of the week.

You may think these elements are already taken into account when grocers set prices, and you’d be right, but artificial intelligence stands to make the entire process of price optimization faster, cheaper and more precise. Meaning better deals for shoppers and fatter profit margins for grocers.

“It creates the perfect scenario for consumers and for grocers in the pursuit of market equilibrium between supply and demand” Currently, a typical grocery store manager has to make between 1,000

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

“In an industry where profit margins are paltry to begin with, grocers need all the help they can get”

Grocers would effectively use AI price optimization “to better manage the flow of consumers going into the store.”

This means consumers would no longer be compelled to go grocery shopping in the morning to get the best prices, while evening shoppers would no longer always find themselves greeted by uglier versions of produce at a higher price.

“In the long term, unpredictable price fluctuations would become far less frequent, meaning less sticker shock.”

More and more, the food industry is embracing AI, and it’s becoming part of

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

19 or shoe into a photorealistic and easily tweakable image. The tool also draws on a deep database of related images to turn sketches into pictures.

Adobe's marketing tools are also incorporating deep learning into offerings for retailers, using AI to predict customer behavior. Shoppers can choose to receive suggestions based on their shopping lists – a belt that matches a pair of pants, painting supplies to help with a can of paint, a wine paired to a dinner recipe.

Programs can subtly nudge people along when they are making a big-ticket purchase online but are not ready to hit the buy button.

the sector’s DNA from farm to fork. It is expected that in the next 10 years AIdriven price optimization will start to become commonplace in food the food industry.

You’ll probably see digital pricing on shelves where prices can be changed in an instant, in real time, in store. The net result is that shoppers will gradually refine their shopping habits to get greater bang for their buck.

“It will actually change when and where you’re shopping in the future. And what you buy.”

Many believe artificial intelligence will play a factor in the check-out line as well, and you can bet many retailers are already in the planning stages on how to utilize the technology to improve the instore experience. Artificial intelligence has a small presence in the grocery space now, but it's a good bet that over time that presence will grow exponentially as retailers look for more ways to implement it into their operations Online shopping For retail companies that want to compete and differentiate their sales from competitors, retail is a hotbed of analytics and machine learning. A spate of recent experiments and announcements underscore the trend in e-commerce.

One notable example is Pinterest Lens, a Shazam-like service that conducts visual searches based on items in the everyday world. Just point your camera at, say, on a food item or item of clothing and Lens can help you find it online.

Lens builds on earlier Pinterest innovations like Related Pins and Guided

Search — both based on the idea that you sometimes don't know what you're looking for until you see it as well as a visual search tool that can find similar images inside the billions of pins that Pinterest has collected. Related pins are served up according to a similarity score that Pinterest's algorithms assign between images.

Lens expands on that earlier search tool beyond images to include things in the real world. Image-detection programs identify an object and visual search digs up similar images, making it easier to buy a coveted item online. The potential for this kind of product-search innovation is interesting: You can search for things that won't fit in a standard search box, and more tightly connect things found offline with those found online.

For shopping specifically, improvements to online discovery means new ways to find products you’re interested in but may not have the words for.

Subtlety is a key part of these AIpowered marketing tools. People can grow alienated if they feel retailers are snooping on their behaviors or if it comes across as a hard sell. Adobe's AI learns from past behavior as well as trial and error to learn how to make a gentle nudge without being too pushy.

“That's a bit of the art and science behind deep learning. But that's where a lot of these signals can be built into the algorithms. If it creates an unnatural signal or puts someone off, it can be built into the training itself.”

While deep learning is becoming a part of the retail experience, it's happening in fits and starts, as Facebook found with chatbots. Touted as a tool that could automate customer-service functions and deepen human engagement, chatbots

“Visual discovery gives people a way to discover new brands and ways of styling that they never knew existed.”

And notably, Amazon is planning to use the AI technology it offers on its Web Services in its new Amazon Go grocery stores. It is using some of the same technologies you would see in selfdriving cars: computer vision, sensor, fusion, deep learning.

Meanwhile, Adobe is taking things a step further by letting people create images of their desired products. Working with researchers at UC Berkeley, Adobe developed an image-editing tool that can turn a crude sketch of a handbag

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

a new employee to their kitchen: Flippy, the burger-flipping robot designed to do the average tasks of a fry cook.CaliBurger has vowed to invest in 50 Flippy robots which will be placed in CaliBurgers across the world within the next two years.

were added to Facebook Messenger, with more than 11,000 of them available last year. Facebook scaled back its chatbot ambitions after they clocked a 70% failure rate.

As with the early days of the Web, there remains much work to do before deep learning can be seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of consumers. Compared to expectations of even a few years ago, though, things are a lot farther along than many expected. And that suggests Silicon Valley may again be ready to change how we shop.

AI in foodservice AI has been used in foodservice for years, mainly doing processing jobs that take place in factories. But recently, there has been moreapplication of AI at actual franchises, taking on tasks that we would usually see human employees do.

In May 2016, KFC opened up a concept restaurant that is entirely run by robots called Original+. The innovative branch was opened in Shanghai, China and is run by a robot called “Dumi.”

Although “Dumi” still has a hard time understanding different accents and dialects, it is smart enough to take and make orders for customers in a flash.

KFC isn’t the only chain to jump on the AI bandwagon. Domino's Pizza in New Zealand announced in March 2016 that they would be incorporating artificial intelligence in its delivery service through a robot dubbed the “Robotic Unit” (DRU) that can self-drive up to 12.5 miles and store up to 10 pizzas.

The latest development for food industry AI has come from the West Coast burger chain, Cali Burger, which announced in March of this year that they’d be adding

This announcement came just a few weeks before Taco Bell made a contradictory announcement, taking the stance that human interaction is what makes for a great food service experience.

"The caveat on technology is that tech is only as good as the experience that a team member creates;it’s an enabler for managers and team members to create a better experience.”

Agro & Food Processing Insight Food security and reducing waste are both high on the international agenda with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimating that by 2050, feeding a global population of nine billion will require a 70 per cent increase in food production.

With the AI market expected to grow to $5.05 billion by 2020, there is a massive opportunity for the food and beverage industries to harness its capabilities, improve offerings, optimize operations and deliver a better customer experience.

There are signs artificial intelligence technology found in voice-controlled speakers, like Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Google Home, are popular with consumers, so further adoption in the grocery space could only be a matter of time. Analysts believe they have the potential to disrupt the path to purchase in the coming year.

“Artificial intelligence could connect with a smart fridge, scan the contents and automatically reorder eggs, milk or produce” One promising product is Hello Egg, the AI-powered ‘home-cooking sidekick’ on a mission to empower millennials to eat more healthily. Developed by USbased RnD64, this voice-controlled, eggshaped home assistant can plan weekly meals according to dietary preferences, demonstrate cooking tutorials on its convex video screen, supervise the pantry, organise shopping lists, and arrange grocery delivery.

When it comes to time optimization

Artificial Intelligence Designed to Bring Grocers Future Success Pathover, an e-commerce and logistics startup, has just released a new service that works to reduce the complexity and financial cost of online grocery shopping and delivery. Pathover's new service, called Grocery 360 (G-360), provides an end-toend solution: G-360 builds a product catalog for a grocer, connects that catalog to customer-facing point-of-sale systems, and uses artificial intelligence to generate optimal schedules for delivering products from grocery stores to their customers.

By eliminating inefficiencies in the end-to-end delivery process, Pathover only needs to charge a flat fee of $0.99 on every order. There is no set up fee, monthly subscription fee or commissions for the grocers. As a result, grocers pay less to deliver groceries, and customers pay less to receive those items; meanwhile, grocers are insulated from the complexities of building and managing an ecommerce site, manually updating the product catalog, upfront investment in delivery fleet, and payment processing. G-360 provides a simple interface for automatically creating new ecommerce sites and integration with point-of-sale systems, but G-360 is also compatible with preexisting ecommerce frameworks. Thus, if a grocer already has an ecommerce site, then integrating with G-360's logistics (delivery) feature is easy, company officials say.

Pathover is run by a dedicated team of logistics experts who have a combined 13 years of experience in the online grocery industry. Pathover is already working with 240 grocers around the country, and expects to expand to reach 5,000 grocers by the end of the year. With G-360, even small or niche grocers can reach large online audiences, and compete for the loyalty of consumers who are rapidly shifting their purchasing activity from brick-and-mortar stores to the online realm.

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

and consumer engagement, speech and image recognition are two facets of AI that can play an important role. Personal diet coach Lark is one app that uses speech recognition to log meals. Users simply voice what they have eaten and Lark estimates the number of calories consumed and offers personalized nutritional advice. Quick and painless.

Other similar voice-activated apps that show promise in this space are Nutritionix Track and the MIT and Tufts University calorie counter. Meanwhile Google is using image recognition with its product Im2Calories to estimate the nutritional content of a meal from a photo.

What’s quicker than snapping a pic? If consumers can save time logging their meals, they will be more likely to track their behaviour and share their invaluable data with apps and, ultimately, brands.

Thanks to developments in natural language processing and machine learning, AI can better process data, and provide more personalized products and Data-rich fitness tracking 19 xadvice.

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app Lifesum set a challenge for itself to address a local health issue and design a custom-made product for its users.

Analysis showed their London users suffered from fatigue and stress due to insufficient levels of vitamin E, zinc and omega-3 in their diet.

In an effort to address this problem, the company teamed up with smoothie retailer Crussh to develop the perfect, nutritionally balanced drink for a busy Londoner. By analyzing data effectively, there is a real opportunity for brands like Lifesum to create better products and new business opportunities.

AI can also engage consumers on a large scale. Chatbots are computer programs that simulate conversation. When augmented with AI, they can deliver responsive, cost-effective customer service to a limitless audience over messaging platforms.

Wholefoods has created one such chatbot on Facebook Messenger in which customers are shown products and recipes based on special diets or specific

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Estimated to run between $5,000$10,000, chatbot development offers a fairly inexpensive introduction to AI for any brand looking to experiment in the arena. With messaging apps proving to be more popular than social networks, there is massive scope for brands to reach a greater audience on these platforms via AI. AI and the products and services it powers hold much promise for brands.

In conjunction with effective data analysis, the technologies can offer efficiency, broader reach, advanced recommendations, new product development, and better consumer engagement.

It is vitally important for players in the food and beverage industries to consider how AI can work for them or risk being left behind.

“Artificial intelligence is not something that many people trust right now, so adoption of this technology by consumers might take some time”

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22

Mango - 'King of all fruits'

Analyzing the global adoration for this Indian fruit King, sultan maharaja of fruits whatever words you want to use - but that is what mango is to an Indian, the moment the season starts the whole community goes berserk over the fruit. In fact the international food market is entirely crazy for the Indian varieties of mango; except for some safety clichés the export market is going up and up and the mango farmers and exporter expect a good revenue out of this ruler of fruit

M

angifera indica, or mango, is an Indian fruit that adapts itself to all kinds of soil conditions— arid, semi-arid, wetlands and so on. Its name is very Indian too. Mangifera is derived from a Sanskrit word ‘manjiri’ which means flowers growing in small clusters. And indica means India. It is quite naturally our national fruit.” Like most national emblems, mango has a historical importance. Sculptures of the fruit are found on Buddhist monuments in Sanchi and Ajanta. Kalidasa’s poetry

made references to the fruit, its trees and leaves, while Mughal emperor Akbar planted one of the country’s largest mango groves in Bihar’s Darbhanga, then known as Lakhi Bagh.

The Government of India has declared the mango as the country’s “most important fruit” which “is grown over an area of 1.23 million hectares”. India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes and accounts for 52.63 per cent of the total global mango production of 19 million tonnes. It

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

is also one of the largest exporters of fruit.

More than a 1,000 varieties of the fruit can be found in the country, with only about 30 varieties grown on a commercial scale.

Mangoes have been cultivated in South Asia for thousands of years and reached Southeast Asia between the fifth and fourth centuries BCE. The mango is now cultivated in most frost-free tropical and warmer subtropical climates; almost half of the world's

KING MANGO

mangoes are cultivated in India alone, with the second-largest source being China.

“Though India is the largest producer of mangoes, it accounts for less than 1 per cent of the international mango trade; India consumes most of its own production” The most loved Varieties of Mangoes India accounts for 56 per cent of the world's mango production. Here are the 10 most popular varieties of mangoes available in India; Alphonso/ Hapus Season – May to June - There is a good chance you have heard of the small spherical Alphonso mangoes, and perhaps even believe it to

23

be the ‘king of mangoes’ which is how it is marketed. Native to Maharashtra, it is also grown in Gujarat and parts of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

This is perhaps the most expensive variety of Indian mangoes and is exported in plenty. Whether it is the tastiest of them all, is something that the jury is still out on.

Safeda Season April to June, this is one of the earliest varieties of mangoes to hit the market. Originally from Andhra Pradesh, Safeda has found widespread acceptance across the country.

The skin has a lovely bright yellow hue and the taste is slightly sour. These mangoes are quite fibreless.

Pairi Season – May – June, With Safeda, Pairi also is an early entrant in the markets. The skin’s reddish tinge is a dead giveaway and when I went to buy some, the fruit seller told me “Go on, buy them in lots.

These are not mangoes, they’re pure honey”. Though not sickly sweet, pairi has a noticeable sour bite hidden somewhere in that deliciousness.

If Kesar is not available, Pairi is used to make aamras in Gujarat. Keeping quality is not great so consume them quickly post purchase.

Neelam Season – May to July, noticeable with its distinctive lovely fragrance, Neelam

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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24 is available throughout the season but the tastiest ones come in only by June with the monsoons. These mangoes are a favourite in Hyderabad, though they are produced all over the country. They are tiny in comparison to other varieties and have orange skin.

Himsagar Season – May Perhaps the shortestlived season amongst all.

Bengalis know their sweets so when they swear by Himsagar mangoes, it’s wise to sit up and take notice. Fiber-less and fleshy, these yellow mangoes are great in milkshakes too. The season lasts all of four weeks so don’t wait too long.

Dussehri Season June to July Lovingly called ‘chuswa aam’ by children, this one is best enjoyed by tearing off the tip and sucking out the sweet pulp and juice.

You can soften the mango by pressing it lightly with your fingertips beforehand.

Popular in its homeland, Uttar Pradesh, a typical village scene involves a bucket full of Dussehri aam, kids sitting around it and indulging in them till the bucket is empty. Arguably one of the oldest mango variety in the country, Dussehri traces its roots back to the Nawab of Lucknow’s gardens in the 18th century. Today, they come from the Malihabad belt, 30km from Lucknow.

Totapuri Season – June to July -These mangoes are the easiest to identify, due to the shape with the tip looking like a parrot’s beak.

Totapuri hails from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. The flesh is not sweet like the other mango varieties but is great for salads or with a tempering of salt and chilies. It is used as

an ingredient for many mass-produced mango products in India.

Kesar Season – June to Early JulyIf your house is filled with the fragrance of mango, there’s a good chance you have Kesar aam in the kitchen. Its smell is the most distinguishing feature, the colour of the pulp resembling saffron, the spice it is named after.

The skin is greener than most other mangoes. Grown in and around Ahmedabad, Gujarat, these are used primarily to make aamras in Gujarat (Maharashtrians prefer theirs made with Hapus).

Chausa Season – July to August Just when you think the mango season is coming to an end, Chausa floods the market and there joy in the world again. Popular in North India and Bihar, these mangoes have incredibly sweet pulp and bright yellow skin. The best ones come from Pakistan and are exported across the world.

Langra Season – Mid July to August -It is a mystery to many why this mango is called Langra (literally meaning a disabled person who can’t walk well). The mother tree for this variety still grows in Varanasi, whose owner was unfortunately lame, which is where the mango got its name. But nomenclature aside, this fibrous mango finds great popularity in West Bengal as well as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Health benefits of Mangoes Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.

“According to new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect from colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancer” Mango fruit is an excellent source

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of fresh fruit provides 765 IU or 25% of recommended daily levels of vitamin-A. Together; these compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucosa and skin.

Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while just 2 mg of sodium.

Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

It is also an excellent source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin-C and vitamin-E. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocysteine levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke.

Further, it composes moderate amounts of copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc).

Copper also required for the production of red blood cells.

“Additionally, mango peel is also rich in phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols”

KING MANGO

25 not occur in other parts of the world and can only be grown in India, thanks to its agronomic and climatic characteristics.

And has no competitor. This mango can't be compared with the Tommy Atkinson or Kent mango varieties.

The great Indian mango export India cultivates mangoes on nearly 2.2 lakh hectares and has production in the range of 19.51 million tonnes. It accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the total mango production in the world. Nearly 30 varieties of mangoes are grown in India, with Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka having the highest production.

Despite this, India exports only 43,000 MT mangoes, which accounts for 0.2 per cent of the total production. The major five importing countries of Indian mangoes are UAE, Bangladesh, UK, Saudi Arabia, and Nepal.

The US market fetches an exporter four times the price than to any other country.

Last year, the price fetched per tonne of exports was Rs 70,360. In the US, it was Rs 2.55 lakh. It is the fear of maintaining standards that is keeping Indians away from this market. The irradiation plant set up at a cost of Rs 8 crore in 2002 was initially meant to treat onions. The members of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States agriculture department had subsequently visited the plant and have a go-ahead for the facility’s compliance for mangoes too.

‘’The facility built by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has a processing capacity of 1 tonne every hour and BARC charges Rs 500 to irradiate every tonne of mango” Succulent Indian mangoes thus take a circuitous route through the country’s onion belt to head for the US. A sprawling irradiation facility set up in Lasalgaon, located 240 km north of Mumbai and approved by the United States agriculture department, treats these mangoes before they are exported.

At present, there are three irradiation centres in the country of which two are in Maharashtra - one at Lasalgaon and the other at Vashi in Mumbai. The third one is located in Bengaluru.

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has its irradiation centre at Lasalgaon in Nasik district. Vashi-based private firm Agrosurg Irradiators has been commercially operating the Lasalgaon irradiation facility as per its agreement with BARC. Last year, the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) set up its own irradiation centre at Vashi in Mumbai.

Thus, India has been able to export this exotic fruit to the UK, the Netherlands, Singapore, Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, and recently to Eastern Europe and China. The market is very volatile, as this year there has been a good harvest in many parts of the south of the country. As a result there is no opening peak for the export market and there are fairly stable values.

This leaves no possibility of benefit in terms of price fluctuations for exporters and farmers. To be more specific, this year's prices are stabilized and the harvest started in January, which means it started before time.

Every year, new exporters enter India's market and the demand for mangoes is growing in the international markets. ’ Thus, this fruit has become the first choice for any exporter. As a result, India's mango production is increasing " by nearly 10% every year’’ 2017 has a new entrant in Indian list of mangoes importer – Australia -The Lasalgaon irradiation centre will now process mangoes for export to Australia this season. According to norms, irradiation of mangoes is mandatory before it is exported to Australia.

India has been have been processing mangoes for export to USA at the Lasalgaon irradiation centre. The Australian market has opened for the country last year. Australia follows a similar export norm like USA, where it is mandatory to irradiate mangoes before export to Australia."

Before 2007, Indian mangoes had for 17 years faced non-trade barriers, such as sanitary and phyto-sanitary (plant health) measures, from the US and many European countries, which feared pests like fruit flies and weevils could be imported through mangoes.

Varieties like Alphonso are too sweet for the palate of Americans. It is Kesar that sells in those markets. A single Kesar fetches close to a dollar. However the packing, quality maintenance and paper work involved puts off most traders from approaching the US market.

However, this mango quarantine through irradiation has allayed the fears. During irradiation, foods are exposed briefly to a radiant energy source such as gamma rays or electron beams. This not only helps in killing harmful bacteria but also increases the shelf life of the fruit.

“Alphonso is slightly tricky but handled well, it is one of the best varieties in India while Kesar is the best commercial variety because it has a good price, good flavour, and it handles very well”

Last year, the Lasalgaon irradiation centre had processed 567 metric tonne of mangoes. And this year the plan is to process around 700 metric tonne. As of now the centre has already processed 7.5 metric tons, which have been exported to USA so far. The mango season will continue till June end.

Alphonso mango is a variety that does

Indian mangoes will be imported to

Australia had given its nod to mango export from India in June 2016. But, the export could not take place as the mango season had almost ended by then.

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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26

Following that, Modi held extensive meeting with his Mauritian counterpart Anerood Jugnauth on his tour to the eastern countries.

Pakistan captures major chunk of Mauritian market, Indian exporters seek rise in subsidy to be competitive. Mauritius imports a large quantity of mango from Pakistan due to price competitiveness.

Mango export from Pakistan works out to cheaper for that country than that from India. But, non-availability of the king of mango - Alphonso - and certain other varieties might give India some advantages over Pakistan.

Australia for the first time after protocols were revised to allow the Asian-grown fruit into the local economy. The fruit would be allowed into Australia as long as they were treated with irradiation before leaving India.

This meant that Australians would be able to enjoy the fruit long after the local season ended.The Australian Mango Industry Association's said Indian mangoes would be imported when the native season was over, ensuring a constant supply for those who enjoy the golden fruit.

“The global trade between India and Australia is welcomed provided the protocol was safe and did not bring in any pests or diseases into the country, according to Australian Mango association” The US had previously imported Indian mangoes with no problems; however, Australia cannot predict the kind of volume that Australia should expect from March until July—during the Indian mango season.

India is currently trying to ship 200 to 300 tonnes of mangoes to the US a year, and it would be those sorts of volumes one would expect in Australia.

Mauritius had also opened up its $1.5 billion market for Indian mangoes, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited that country recently. For several years, Mauritius was not issuing sanitary and phyto-sanitary clearances to Indian mangoes, thanks to fear of fruit flies in cargoes. But, emphasising the need of improving regional co-operation, the Indian government took up the matter with highest authorities in Mauritius.

Until now, mango producers were not receiving clearances for mango consignments from Mauritius, as local authorities in that country were not issuing required certificates. Now, with the new development India will be able to supply mangoes to Mauritius.

The biggest obstacle for Indian exporters is the freight subsidy. Export subsidy offered by the government of Pakistan makes their exporters competitive in global markets. Therefore, mango exporters are urging the government to raise freight subsidy to 70 per cent (from 30 per cent now) so that Indian exporters would be price competitive.

Meanwhile, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has urged exporters to follow proper guidelines to make Indian mangoes acceptable for Mauritian consumers. APEDA has urged exporters to make vapour heat treatment at 47.8 degrees centigrade for 20 minutes or hot water treatment as specified by global norms.

Mango exports from India might see a significant jump this year after South Korea allowed imports of this exotic fruit following stringent pest risk analysis.

South Korea imported mangoes worth $48 million in 2016, mainly from Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Australia, Peru and the United States.”

“India’s entry into the South Korean market intensified competition as mangoes from India are popular in the Middle

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

East, the Far East, and the United States and European countries” In an advisory on March 14 to its members, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), said: “The South Korean animal and plant quarantine agency has finally agreed on importation of Indian mangoes into South Korea after vapour heat treatment.

Export will be allowed for produce sourced from registered farmers under the APEDA Hortinet system. Interested exporters may book their slots for processing of mangoes for export to South Korea.” India’s exports of fresh mangoes declined nearly 15 per cent last year.

APEDA estimates India’s exports of fresh mangoes were 36,329 tonnes in 2015-16 compared to 42,998.31 tonnes in a year ago. In value terms, however, exports remained flat at $49.49 million in 201516 against $50.26 million in the previous year.

The United Arab Emirates imports over 50 per cent of Indian mangoes in volume terms and 60 per cent in value terms followed by the United Kingdom.

India’s mango exports in FY18 may touch 50k tonne mark India's mango exports are likely to surpass last year's level and touch 50,000 tonne mark in the ongoing fiscal, buoyed by strong demand and supply of export quality fruit, according to APEDA. The country had shipped 45,730 tonnes of mangoes. The export figures pertain to shipments undertaken by exporters registered with APEDA. Around 200 tonnes of mangoes have been exported so far this month. Of the total shipments undertaken so far, about

KING MANGO

27 win investors' vote of confidence on the back of one mango-flavoured drink, and that too when this drink has big brand competitors such as Maaza, Slice and Frooti, says a lot about India's faith in anything aam.

And the old mango drink fights are getting tougher, where Parle Agro's Frooti vies with Pepsi's Slice and Coca-Cola's Maaza. Not unsurprisingly, Aam Ras is the best-selling product in Paper Boat's portfolio.

131 tonne has been shipped to the US, 42 tonnes to the Middle-East and 18 tonnes to the European Union (EU). ‘’Mango varieties, especially 'Safeda', 'Alfonso' and 'Kesar' are being exported currently from southern and western parts of the country’’ Right now, the harvest of mango is good.

Quality is also good. There are no reports of unseasonal rains or hailstorm. If the current situation prevails, total exports will definitely surpass last year's level and may touch 50,000 tonnes mark. The volumes are expected to rise as new export destinations like Korea have opened up for Indian mangoes. There will be more shipments to New Zealand, Australia and Korea The arrival of mangoes from the south and west India has started, while the season in the northern states like Uttar Pradesh will begin from mid-June onwards.

As per the government estimate, mango production this year is estimated to be 19.21 million tonnes, higher than 18.6 million tonnes in the year-ago period.

Not only are the fruit, Mango-based products a spectacular success too Mango the king of fruit is the king of processed food and beverages across categories from tea to cocktails to candies — that's the sweet new truth about India's sweet tooth.

And the sweetest thing is the market size.

At Rs 8,000 crore and rapidly growing, the branded mango products market rivals that for chocolates of all kinds put together.

Starbucks made a pleasant discovery on the extent to which Indians can be mango

people. The US-headquartered beverages chain put Alphonso puree in tea and also created an Alphonso Mango Frappuccino.

Tea with mango — yuck? No, it's yum.

Starbucks' mango offering was a huge hit with Indian consumers and the global beverages chain is now exporting the Made-in-India frappuccino to other Asian markets.

It has 100% Alphonso puree and it prompted other markets in Asia Pacific to source the same ingredients from us and take it to Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong this year.

Mango frappuccino is one of several new examples that have transformed the mango-based product basket dominated by ice candies and soft drinks flavoured with the fruit.

“Mango is to India what strawberry is for most parts of the western world, but Mangoes are available only for three months...anything with a short supply attracts big demand”

Here's another mango success that came from nowhere. DS Group's raw mangoflavoured candy Pulse is close to topping Rs 150 crore worth of sales in the first nine months. With a Re 1 price tag, that's nearly 3 billion candies.

Mango variants account for half the overall candy segment now, compared with caramel's contribution at 20%. For Parle, Mango Bite candy has topped Rs 300 crore in yearly sales. " hile chocolates have a 'kids-only' W affinity, mango's likeability is ageneutral" Naturally, new global players are also going aam. Danone has mango yogurt, Kellogg's sells mango corn flakes.

There's mango in booze — United Sports Bar and Grill sells a cocktail called Mango Surprise (rum and mango puree). There's mango in Ayurvedic jams — Dabur sells mango-flavoured Chyawanprash. And there's mango in doughnuts — Mad over Donuts' mango-flavoured line has acquired a loyal client base, the company says. So, what's the next delightful surprise for India's mango people?

Like Manpasand Beverages is not exactly an FMCG giant with a storied brand portfolio. But this Gujaratbased company had a loud initial public offering — oversubscribed 1.4 times — based on the success of a single, mango based drink, named, with striking literalness, Mango Sip. Manpasand now has nearly Rs 2,600 crore in market capitalization, despite annual revenues of just Rs 350 crore.

That a small player can

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Indian Edible oil Industry -at a Glance

I

ndian edible oil industry is highly fragmented with variation in the consumption pattern of Indian consumers of edible oil. Edible oils can be used for several other purposes, besides cooking and have applications in different industries. The edible oil market in India is still untapped and thus holds immense business opportunities. The

Indian edible oil market is anticipated to witness vigorous growth in near future.

Though, rising edible oil prices and low yield per hectare will be the challenges for this sector. Mergers and acquisitions are a major trend in the edible oil industry in India.

The

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

consumption

of

vegetable

oil

has increased because of the rise in overall household income, increase in health awareness, surging retail sector, population growth and increasing demand. But the increase in demand has not kept pace with production level and thereby facilitates the imports of edible oil in the country. India stands fourth in the world for edible oil market after U.S.A,

AT A GLANCE

China, and Brazil. The country accounts for around 9 per cent of the world’s oil seed production. Edible oil market has a favourable demand growth outlook over the medium-to-long term considering the positive macro and demographic details.

Edible oil market is highly competitive in India because of the presence of several organized and unorganized players. The major players in this industry are Cargill, Adani Wilmar, Ruchi Soya, Agrotech Foods, and others.

Diverse edible oils in India There are various range of edible oils used in India, like sunflower oil, soybean

29

oil, groundnut oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, palm oil and so on. Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) considers the flexibility to modify product portfolio as a key strength in a market characterised by commodity price volatility. Players with a diversified presence and exposure to the three major categories of oil, namely, palm oil, soybean oil and mustard oil, would be better positioned for growth as compared to players with sole product concentration.

Moreover, ICRA is of the view that large-scale integrated players are better placed than small and

mid-sized manufacturers to resist the challenges in the business environment on the strength of benefits related to economies of scale such as marginally lower cost of production and access to cheaper working capital credit.

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30

make olive oil even better.

The product is available in two variants – extra virgin for salads and dips, and refined for everyday cooking.

Olive oil does not contain Omega 3, a well-known heart-healthy ingredient.

Indian consumers are looking to lead a healthier lifestyle proactively that has led to a surge in the usage of olive oil because of the health benefits, exotic images and lifestyle codes associated with it.

Apart from price, regional preferences also influence consumption; palm, soybean and mustard oil are the three-major edible oils. An important characteristic of the Indian edible oil consumption pattern is the variation in preferences across regions, driven by taste and availability.

For instance, soybean oil is mainly used in northern and central regions of India due to the local availability of soybeans.

Largely consumed in north-eastern, northern, and eastern regions of India, mustard oil is known for its pungency.

It is a desired and inherent part of the local cuisine. Palm oil has become a popular choice in southern India due to the warmer climate and easy availability from South-east Asia.

Consumption pattern The increase in health awareness also help determine the consumption pattern with mustard and soya considered healthier than palm oil that has higher levels of saturated fats. Oils like rice bran and olive are gaining popularity due to their superior health properties, although their consumption remains low in absolute terms. Price economics also play a significant role to determine consumer choice, given that expenditure on edible oil constitutes an important portion of the household budget.

Observing the growing need for healthy options among the health-conscious consumers, Marico has launched Saffola Aura. This marks the entry of Marico in the Rs 600 plus crore super premium edible oils category. Saffola Aura is a unique new blend of 80 per cent Olive Oil and 20 per cent Flaxseed Oil, driving product differentiation by blending another oil to

Vegetable oil consumption in India has seen a rising trend since the past few years is due to growth in income levels resulting in change in consumption patterns. The per capita consumption of edible oils in India has grown rapidly, by almost by 3-4 per cent per annum. This due to the increase in income levels, rising urban population, supply of oils by government at subsidized rates.

The vegetable oil consumption in India is likely to continue to increase in future as well due to increasing population and rising local demand for the edible oils in the domestic front.

Edible oil and new pack size initiative Edible oil is a very essential part of the food preparation process.

The most key requirement for cooking, as to without it, one cannot cook that food item. So, if these edible oils would be available in smaller packs, that will surely be a positive news for the low-middle class section. Since they are unable to purchase the large packs, they make use of adulterated edible oil available with the miscreants. Hence Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

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wants edible oil manufacturers to bring out their products in smaller packs that daily wagers and rural buyers can buy.

Chairman of FSSAI, Ashish Bahuguna said that the regulator mandates that edible oils be sold in packaged form, but in rural areas these oils are being sold in smaller quantities from opened packs. For people earning their wages daily, it is difficult to afford oil packages of larger quantities. “We are speaking with manufacturers to reduce the package size of edible oil.� He also added that his department has also proposed a differential duty on smaller packages.

Also, FSSAI has given its approval to sell edible oils in loose through vending machines in West Bengal and the pilot project has just begun from Kolkata.

FSSAI has given permission to a company to sell edible oils in loose via vending machines. The approval for the pilot launch has been given amidst growing concerns over adulteration of edible oils sold in loose, especially in rural areas.

Bahuguna said at a meeting of the Central Consumer Protection Council (CCPC), just like milk vending machines, edible oils vending machines will be installed in several places and this will greatly benefit the poor, who can buy quality oil and whatever quantity they require. The packaging firms should bring in small packs so that edible oil manufacturers could have better sales and adulterated oil

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31

crude sunflower oil during November 2016.

is not used for purpose of cooking. The use of adulterated edible oil can prove to be hazardous to the health of those consuming it.

The different edible oils in India Sunflower oil India stands at the 10th position in global producer of sunflower oil. India, Egypt, and Turkey participate to the sunflower oil growth by an increase of their consumption, without increasing the local production. Sunflower oil is one of the most commonly used vegetable oil in food industry. As per the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), the sowing data of sunflower for Rabi season is 1.74 lakh hectares as on December 2016.

As per USDA, during 2016, sunflower was sown in an area of 5 lakh hectares with production of 4.5 lakh tonnes in India. Karnataka is the leading producer of sunflower seeds followed by Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. The districts that grow sunflower in Tamil Nadu are Karur, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Dindugal, Ariyalur and Trichy. India’s import of edible oil increases by 7-8 lakh tonnes per year on rising demand due to increase in per capita consumption. As per SEA, India has imported 1.58 lakh tonnes of

Soybean oil The soybean production in India has increased in the last 10 years at CAGR of 4.79 per cent.

The contribution of India’s share in global production of soybean oil in 2016-17 was around 3.5 per cent. China, United States, Argentina, and Brazil were the key producers of soybean oil in 2016-17. Trade in soybeans is smaller in volume terms, but future growth will be consistent.

In recent years, India has imported soybeans from Ethiopia, Benin, Ukraine, the United States, Nigeria, and Djibouti.

The imports are mainly for food use and partly for seed. India also exports soybeans (non-GM) to the United States, Canada, Belgium, France, and Spain. The annual sales in volume terms average about 190,000 MT. India’s trade policy prohibits import of Genetically Modified (GM) soybeans.

However, soybeans (non-GM) are eligible for import from any country for consumption and processing.

Groundnut oil The production of groundnut decreased from 7.4 million (2013-14) to 6.7 million tonnes (2015-16) indicating a decline of about 9 per cent. India’s share in global production of groundnut oil in 2016-17 was about 19 per cent. Groundnuts are the major source (22 per cent edible oil production) of edible oils in India, after rapeseed, mustard and soybeans.

cent is used either for seed or is consumed directly.

China is the biggest market for Indian groundnut oil. Edible oil industry players feel that domestic prices are high due to short supply of groundnut, that has made Indian groundnut oil prices unviable for exports. India had exported about 10,000 tonnes of groundnut oil in consumer packages. As per the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), the country produces about 300,000-350,000 tonnes every year, and has potential to export about 40,000-50,000 tonnes in bulk.

The Government of India allowed bulk export of groundnut oil in March this year. Prior to that, exports were allowed only in consumer packs of up to five kg each. Currently there is little demand for Indian groundnut oil but producers are hopeful of a revival after some time.

Mustard oil India is the fourth largest producer for mustard oil. India contributed a share of about 8.5 per cent in the global production of mustard oil in 2016-17. Mustard oil is very popular as a cooking oil in northern India and Pakistan and the chief ingredient used in Bengali cuisine.

The major mustard producing states in the country are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra.

The state of Rajasthan single-handedly contributes about 50 per cent of total

About seventy per cent of groundnut is crushed for oil, and the remaining 30 per

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32 output.

High mustard seed production would lead to increase in mustard oil output, and is a positive point since India depends on edible oil imports to meet its requirement as there is a huge gap between demand and supply. As people are becoming aware about health benefits of mustard oil especially for heart, the demand of this oil is slowly increasing from urban areas in the country. Mustard oil is the most preferred edible oil in northern, central, and eastern parts of India.

In 2016, at the Jaipur market the prices touched a record elevated level of Rs. 5,500 per quintal owing to a shortfall in production due to unfavourable weather and unseasonal rains. Mustard oil is gelatinous, dark, and highly pungent.

The double refinement technique reduces its viscosity and pungency, making it crystalline. Therefore, it can be made available in two or more variants with distinctive characteristics of colour, consistency and pungency. Mustard oil is available in attractive bottles, tetra-packs and cans of varied sizes that fulfil the needs of the people.

Rice bran oil Rice bran oil (RBO) is an edible oil which is used in the preparation of vegetable ghee. Rice bran wax, obtained from rice bran oil and palpanese extract is used as a substitute for carnauba wax in cosmetics, confectionery, shoe creams and polishing compounds. The global rice bran oil market is highly competitive and diversified due to the presence of many regional and international vendors across the globe. The competition is intense because of factors such as price, quality, innovation, service, reputation, distribution, and promotion.

India rice bran oil market size was valued over USD 600 million in 2014. India has 1.4 million tons of RBO production potential of which only around 900 kilo tons is only produced. Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) is working on

plants to help existing mills to upgrade their production process. Only 300 kilo ton is used for direct consumption and rest is blended with different edibles and is sold in the market. SEA is expected to increase its direct consumption levels in the domestic market by promoting associated health benefits among consumers.

China was the second largest market with an estimated production of around 200 kilo tons in 2014. Japan and Thailand were the other major market in 2014 with an estimated production of over 80 kilo tons and 50 kilo tons respectively. Increase in consumer health consciousness from edible oils to reduce cholesterol levels that is likely to support rice bran oil market growth till 2023. Rice bran oil is globally promoted as premium product with anti-oxidant properties and is available at competitive prices in comparison to olive oil.

Rice bran oil is also used as food ingredients in many bakery products with a ratio up to 20 per cent. The products include cakes, biscuits, breads, cookies, and pizza. It improves the taste & chewing of the bakery products coupled with advantage in price reduction and health benefits of lowering cholesterol level. Abundant raw material availability in the form of rice particularly in Asian countries is likely to result in stable rice bran oil market price trend over the forecast period. Production is concentrated in countries such as India, China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Sesame oil Sesame oil market is mainly located in Asia and the Middle East where the use of domestically produced sesame oil has been a tradition for centuries. About 65 per cent of the annual US sesame crop is processed into oil and 35 per cent is used in food. Sesame oil is one of the more stable natural oils, but can still benefit from refrigeration and limited exposure to light and hot temperatures during extraction,

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

processing, and storage to abate nutrient loss through oxidation and rancidity.

Storage in amber-coloured bottles can help to minimize light exposure.

The sesame oil industry in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5 per cent during the forecast period of 20172022. The country is facing substantial shift in the consumption of sesame oil because of the increased use in different cuisines, ayurveda, various massage oils, etc. Sesame oil is one of the oldest edible oils in the world and is extracted from the seeds of cultivated plant, namely sesame.

The sesame oil is very popular among the southern regions in India, along with countries in Asia, USA. Palm oil India is the largest importer of palm oil in the world followed by China, Netherland, and Italy. India imports substantial amount of edible oils for its domestic consumption. Among all edible oils imported in India, palm oil importation share is around 70-80 per cent. It is an important source of calories and a food staple in poor communities. Palm oil will always be the largest consumed edible oil because of its competitive prices, adaptability in blending with other others, and wide application across food (ingredient for margarines, biscuits, breads, breakfast cereals, instant noodle, chocolates, and ice cream) and non-food sector (shampoos, lipsticks, candles, detergents).

In 2006, Malaysia produced more than 20.9 million tonnes. Indonesia is world's largest producer of palm oil and intends to double production by 2030 end. Malaysia, the world's second largest producer of palm oil produced 18.79 million tonnes of crude palm oil on roughly 5,000,000 hectares (19,000 sq mi) of land in 2012.

China, Pakistan, the European Union, India, and the United States are the primary importers of Malaysian palm oil products.

Olive Oil

AT A GLANCE

Olive oil is highly nutritious product extracted from the fresh olive fruits.

Olive oil is the main element of Mediterranean diet, found in countries such as Spain, Greece, and Italy.

Commercially manufactured by crushing or grinding olives and the oil is extracted

from it through various chemical and mechanical process. Olive oil possess omega-3 monounsaturated fatty acid and antioxidants that replaces saturated and trans fats. The health benefits include that they help in maintaining health

cholesterol level, reduces breast cancer risk, helps to prevent stroke, lowers the risk of depression, protect liver and many others (prevent from acute pancreas, protects from ulcerative colitis etc.).

Australia now produces a substantial amount of olive oil. Many Australian producers only make premium oils, while several corporate growers operate million trees and produce oils for the general market. Australian olive oil is exported

33

to Asia, Europe, and the United States. In the global market, Spain and Italy are the highest consumer of olive oil followed by the U.S. The demand for olive oil is also increasing in developed countries such as Europe and North America whereas Brazil, India, China, and Russia have also shown the vigorous growth towards the acceptance of this product.

The olive oil market in India is anticipated to touch a healthy CAGR by 2020, due to the increased consumer awareness on the health advantages of olive oil. Olive oil is a healthy and nutritional product that contains antioxidants and other medicinal properties that are beneficial for the human heart, liver, and breast. Olive oil caters to the food industry, beauty care and cosmetic industries and pharmaceutical industries and end consumers.

As an edible product olive oil is offered to the end consumers based on its nutritional value, tastes and packaging.

Olive oil comprises of six types and they are olive pomace oil, extra virgin olive oil, pure olive oil, refined olive oil, light olive oil and virgin olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil is of the best quality as it possesses less than 1 per cent of acidity level and rich in antioxidants. It is extracted from the fresh olives at first cold pressing.

In India, olive pomace oil dominates the market in terms of consumption as it is the most suitable for Indian cuisine and does not change its flavour or aroma at the time of preparing food.

Rapeseed oil Rapeseed oil production increased from 2.11 million MT from 2015-16 to million 2.45 MT in 2016-17. China’s rapeseed market underwent a shift towards increasing meal imports as compared to the import of rapeseed. So, rapeseed demand has decreased because of high domestic prices, uncertainty over possible import restrictions whereas lower production of rapeseed, together with growing demand from the sector, has accelerated the demand for meal. As a result, the import of rapeseed meal increased by 300 per cent in 2016 over 2015. In India, 6.7 million tons are produced annually. As per the United States Department of Agriculture, rapeseed was the third-leading source of vegetable oil in the world in 2000, after soybean and palm oil. It is the world's second-leading source of protein meal.

Conclusion Ninety-nine per cent of Indian households use edible oils and therefore they make an effective vehicle for fortification. Since vitamin A and D is fat-soluble vitamins, oils fortified with these nutrients can address micronutrient malnutrition and provides 25-30 per cent of the recommended dietary allowances for vitamins A and D. Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are rampant in India, and there are significant public health problems that adversely impact the health and productivity of all the population groups.

Massive quantities of oil are purchased and used in the government financed food supplementation schemes like the MDM and the ICDS. Public Distribution System (PDS) will pave the way for fortified oil being readily available at the door step of the poorest segment of the population.

India imports nearly 67 per cent of its edible oil requirements and the rest is met from domestic production. The performance of the companies in edible oil sector for medium term period will depend upon the demand. In India post increase in import duties on refined edible oils, movement of domestic edible oil prices, performance of Indian Rupee against US Dollar, anticipated sales volumes, and profitability margins from the specialty fats business with comprehensive product range including bakery shortening’s, chocolate & confectionary fats, ice cream fats are the factors that affect the market and eventually end-consumers.

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GIANT ASSAULT

35

Frozen foods segment,

yet another giant waiting for assault in Indian food industry

G

lobal frozen food market is expected to garner $306 billion by 2020, projected to reach CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period 2015 - 2020. The deep-frozen food products can be stored and used over an extended period are referred to as frozen foods. The most widely used frozen food products include frozen ready-to-eat meals, fruits & vegetables, meat & poultry, sea food, soups, and similar array of products. The global frozen food market comprises retail as well as business customers. Retail customers are individuals and households mostly prefer cooked and semi-cooked ready-to-eat food, meat, and soups amongst the class of available products in

the market. Whereas business customers include hotel chains, fast-food outlets, caterers, and other buyers use frozen meat, sea food, frozen pizza crust, bread, frozen dough, potatoes, and vegetables as the key ingredients for preparing food for end customers. Based on geography, Europe is the largest market, closely followed by North America.

Frozen food market in India is expected to register a CAGR of 15 per cent during 2016-2021. In 2015, frozen food products market in India was dominated by frozen snacks segment. With increasing availability through online sales channels such as Amazon, Big Basket etc., frozen

snacks will continue to dominate Indian frozen food market through 2021.

McCain, Godrej Tyson, Venky’s, Darshan Foods, National Dairy Development Board (Mother Dairy), Al Kabeer Exports and Innovative foods are few of the leading players dominating India’s frozen food market.

Major companies that operate in this market have adopted acquisition and new product development as their key business strategies to gain a competitive edge over the other players. Aryzta is one of the largest suppliers of frozen bakery in North America and Europe. Nestle is a leading player in frozen pizza segment

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

GIANT ASSAULT

36 in North America and Europe. McCain foods launched local food variants in India, developed specifically as per the traditional food habits of customers.

Current Scenario of frozen food Jasmine K Shaikh, Head-Food Innovation at Snackible said the increase in incomes coupled with change in lifestyle and food habits are major factors that boost the market growth in these regions. Also, a rapid increase in number of large retail chains including hypermarkets and supermarkets has bolstered the demand of frozen food in India. However, lack of proper

refrigeration facility in retail stores and inadequate distribution facility in semiurban and rural areas are the major challenges for the industry in developing markets.

Proprietor of Six Sigma Food tech, Dilip Wagh said frozen foods are ubiquitous in North America, Europe supermarkets, and in other parts like Australia, Asia. “Fruits and vegetables are usually frozen within hours of being picked, and when thawed, they are very close to fresh in taste and texture. The frozen meal is increasingly popular in time−starved households. If the meal

can be heated in a microwave, total time from freezer to table can be less than five minutes. Besides offering fresh taste and convenience, freezing is also a safe method of preservation, as most pathogens are inactivated at low temperatures. Increased consumption of fresh food as a means of ‘living healthy’ is our thinking which is very right.”

Harveen Kaur, Partner of Her’s kitchen feels that awareness about frozen products has grown at least 5-fold in last five years. This has resulted in increased consumption and lower postharvest losses of vegetables and fruits.

Yet still we need to increase the reach till C grade and D grade towns in the country which till now are untouched by the concept of frozen foods. “Some people are still ignorant about frozen snacks and samosa though frozen green peas have reached all the areas.

In cities, the disposable income has scaled up and availability of such ready-to-cook products on shelves has induced the need to buy these products. The individuals buy them as they can keep them in their deep freezers for a longer period.”

Another section of market is food restaurants, hotel chains and the rest always look for convenience and lowest service

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times for their customers. Also, they try to find out ways to keep consistent tastes of their served portions. The frozen food has given them an edge over the traditional restaurants.

Indian market has always been a leading market in the world when it comes to production, consumption, export, and growth of a food industry, and as the innovations are taking place in every possible industry, food industry is not left apart from that trend and there comes a concept of “frozen food”, in European market frozen food has already been into deep roots but in Indian it is still an emerging market. M.D, Vishal Vora from Freeze it said India is a country that has diversified culture, income, and taste of the product so, in some of the cities frozen food products might be a great hit while in some it is not. But overall substantial number of consumers are from urban areas while in some small cities it is still unknown concept.

Director of Crazy Foods, Rohit Choudhary is of the view that frozen food is rapidly gaining popularity in India.

Rising urbanization, changing lifestyles, and increasing expenditure on frozen food is projected to drive sales of frozen food products in the coming years. Further, frozen food manufacturing companies are changing their product dynamics and offering innovative frozen food products, as per consumer demands in India and all these factors are projected to boost frozen food sales in the country in the coming years.

The Indian frozen food market is estimated to be around $110 million, and is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR)of three per

GIANT ASSAULT

37 school-going children from school about importance of good cold chain system for the industry.

cent during the forecast period (i.e. until 2022).

is a major challenge for refrigerated vehicles market

Cold chain importance in India for frozen market The Indian cold chain industry is expected to reach a market size of USD 13 billion by 2017. Currently, with more than 3,500 companies operating, it is highly fragmented and unorganized in nature. Organized players contribute 8-10 per cent of the cold chain supply base.

There are 5,381 cold chain storages in India with 95 per cent of total storage capacity under private players. The development of cold chain industry has a significant role to play in reducing wastages of perishable commodities and thus providing remunerative prices to the growers.

Wagh emphasised that it is very important to maintain frozen cold chain. All further distribution of the frozen food should be carried out at 0˚ F (− 17.8˚ C) or cooler.

In other words, trucks or rail cars that carry the pallets should be kept to this temperature, and so should warehouses, storerooms, and freezer cases where the cases are later stored. Product needs to maintain temperature throughout logistics till it reaches individual. Wagh said “our government is supporting cold chain in big way to increase cold store, refrigerated vehicles. Awareness drive in public is required - FROZEN IS NATURE PAUSE BUTTON + FROZEN IS FRESHER THAN FRESH. Frozen food maintains Aroma, Taste, Texture & Appearance.

Even good educated people in India do not understand the importance of frozen food. Govt. should take steps to educate

Shaikh expressed that cold chains are essential for extending the shelf life, marketing, avoiding over capacity, reduce transport bottlenecks during peak period of production and maintenance of quality of produce. “With the growth on the domestic manufacturing and retail segments, the demand for efficient warehouse management service has improved.

Another Partner at Her’s kitchen, Simran Kaur believes Indian climatic conditions pose a serious threat to the quality of the products in ambient conditions. The changing climate is the danger for the food product transportation to distant consumers. This has led to the major disaster in the form of post-harvest losses of country’s food products. To avoid this cold chain is very important.

“Also, since we are now focusing on utilizing the crops in a better way, we also need the cold chain to make these processed products reach populace in distant parts of the nation is where comes the role of cold chain.”

Vora stated that it is tough since every dealer associated needs to have a cold room facility. They need to have a proper cold storage vehicle to reach it to their wholesaler or retailer. Now this increases their initial investment that leads to hesitation. So, this happens at every level whether it’s wholesaler, retailer or consumer which is not in the case of normal food products, hence this problem leads to slow expansion.

India is a tropical country that witnesses a huge amount of post-harvest losses, especially in terms of fruits and vegetables. Choudhary enunciated that frozen foods are wasted due to their natural deterioration process and low-

Despite of the growing demand, warehousing continues to see little investment.

Current expenditure on organized warehousing in India constitutes 9 per cent of total logistics expenses, as against 25 per cent in the US.” Even though India has about 250 reefer transport operators (mostly small & non-integrated firms) that transport perishable products and more than 30,000 refrigerated vehicles currently ply in India. The inflated cost of transportation

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grade storage process so it is important to maintain a cold chain to avoid this kind of losses. “Due to the geographical advantage, India has various agroclimatic zones and soil types, providing an opportunity for cultivation of several types of agricultural and horticultural crops. With the rise in population, there has been a rise in demand for food, which has triggered the food production quantity, and has also encouraged the development of cold chain facilities to avoid post-harvest losses and, at the same time, attain supply availability throughout the year. Since cold chain logistics has been introduced in India, there has been a reduction in spoilage coupled with an enhancement in the shelf life of food products.

Growth factors Wagh attributed the need for convenience as major factor because sufficient wealth pushes convenience as a priority. Also, the perception of quality boom in ethnic meals, and with women often being out of the kitchen has broadened the base of frozen foods. To feed a world population projected to exceed 9 billion people by 2050, technology that can enhance food production will be a significant asset. This will help wastage of food. Increased food prices around the world in recent years, social unrest over food scarcity combined with a growing world population are raising the question what will it take to feed the world's population 40 years from now.

As per Shaikh, the following points below are key factors for the growth in frozen food industry: • Increase in Purchasing power • Changing lifestyle & food habits • Rise in number of working women • Research & operational excellence • Growing Health & fitness concern • Government regulations • Storage & transport facility opportunities • Rapidly growing food service industry • Improved storage facility in retail stores • Rapidly growing large retail

• Transition in consumer demand Harveen believes that the reach of products has played a significant role in the growth rate of frozen foods. “Now people are aware and have money to buy the products. It’s the matter of availability of delicious and healthy foods. The cold chain distribution is also another major factor for this growth. If that is set right and well, the game can be won.” Vora splits the growth factors for two markets retail and institutional. Retail Market: a) Increase in migration of people from semi-urban and rural areas to developed metropolitan cities b) Increase preference of nuclear families c) Increase number of working woman. Whereas for Institutional Market: a) Reduction in food waste b) Reduction in time c) Reduction in staff .

As per Choudhary, convenience has played significant a role in contributing to the growth of frozen market. “The newly acquired economic prosperity in emerging economies is changing the lifestyle of consumers in several ways. Due to the rising purchasing power, individuals are spending a considerable amount of money on convenience foods or eating out. Moreover, adoption of Western living practices, wherein both the partners are working does not leave adequate time to prepare fresh meals daily. This has led to an increased demand for convenience foods, which includes frozen foods.

Technological advancements Cryogenic or flash freezing food is a recent development, but is used by many leading food manufacturers all over the world.

Shaikh said, “Cryogenic equipment uses very low temperature gases usually liquid nitrogen or solid carbon dioxide which are applied directly to the food product.”

Active Packaging - Food product films which allow oxygen to pass through is one form of active packaging. For instance, when a microwavable food dish is frozen, an oxygen-permeable film may be added to the top. If the dish is stored in a freezer truck or cold storage, the air will be able to pass through to the food, keeping it cooler for longer periods of time.

Even Wagh articulated about cryogenic freezing, which is a relatively new freezing method that may be gaining adherents. As not all foods benefit from being frozen this way, some equipment manufacturers are designing multiple−use machines that combine freezing methods.

As of now, cryogenic freezing solution

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

is very expensive way to freeze hence less takers. “The freezing equipment is typically made from stainless steel and other metals. To freeze produce in lowest time is industry goal with lowest process cost. Freezer manufacturer are enhancing their product to meet this challenge.

Conventional old type slow freezing is history. All good manufacturer designs are fully hygienic & faster freezing.

North American has really came up with biggest equipment in market. Some North American companies prefer CO2 freezing.”

Simran feels that advancements taken place are great and still there are many more to come in near future. “Did we ever think that green peas which was only produced for three months of the year in North India will be eaten at the same price round the year and that too of same quality? Did we ever think that Gujarat potato growers will get a chance to sell their potatoes to a company who buys in bulk to make French Fries? The company processes almost 20 MT of potatoes per hour in their premises in Mehsana and feeds the nation with French Fries. These are technological advancements and we have learnt the processes to prevent our crops from getting dumped because of low demands. The ready-to-cook frozen food concept has led to preservation of lot of fruits and vegetables that were earlier thrown. The sea fishes are available in northern plains only because of the cold chain.”

Vora said production capacity is increasing at far level due to advancement in various manufacturing machineries.

The research is carried out daily as to how we can increase the shelf life of the product and satisfactory results can be seen. Packaging is getting better which

GIANT ASSAULT

leads to lower normal loss in transit, so with every day there is progress.

Challenges in frozen food market Every industry has their challenges which acts like a hindrance for its successful growth. These issues need attention so that there lies no obstacle for steady progress of the market. Shaikh notes the following points that are challenges in the frozen food industry, i) Consumer education that processed foods can be more nutritious ii) Low price-elasticity for processed food products iii) Need for distribution network and cold chain iv) Backward-forward integration from farm to consumers v) Development of marketing channels vi) Development of linkages between industry, government, and institutions vii) Taxation in line with other nations viii) Streamlining of food laws.

Wagh said that the cost of operation has become extortionate in world. “Finding innovation in frozen food category is required for ethnic food. There is a need to develop local market & create awareness in country. Many wrong processor are in market that damages good processor market prospects both locally & internationally. Government certification should be more stringent.”

India is second largest producer of fruit & vegetables but the surplus produce requires infrastructure support which is not available. India with large marketable surpluses and abundant raw material for processing needs processor & logistics.

Harveen said that major challenge is distribution since the road transport is costly and there is no source of train transport for such products. Also, the cost of freezing is high because of interruptions

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in power supply. “The capital cost of plant and machinery is high for excellent quality machines as Indian manufacturers do not produce standard machines. If plants are installed, their viability is another issue as they don’t get good volume supply of raw material due to vast population which consumes mainly fresh. Lack of government support to the entrepreneurs on the ground is another issue. There are lot of schemes but not even one is properly implemented and hence young entrepreneurs do not get support and motivation to revolutionize the concept.

Vora is of the view that one of the biggest challenge right now is logistic to the end consumer. “We are receiving demand from all over India but making it available to everyone seems hard. Frozen food market might be influenced by competition, pricing, lack of innovation.

Further Choudhary elaborated pprimarily, the dependence on third-party distributors to reach end-use consumers is a major challenge for manufacturers of frozen foods. “As such, product manufacturers need to rely on cold chains and logistics of distributors and plan production accordingly. In the event of a disruption in distributor services or temperature control anomaly at the time of distribution, product manufacturers must bear the loss of food spoilage and losing customer loyalty as well.

To address this, product manufacturers are focused on collaborating with retailers to reach consumers directly and reduce dependency on distributors and wholesalers. The need to maintain impeccable hygiene and perfect temperatures right from production to retail shelves is also challenging the

market’s growth.”

Future market of frozen foods The global frozen food market is anticipated to touch a CAGR of around 4 per cent during the forecast period of 2016- 2024. Shaikh explained that factors that have fuelled this growth are dynamic lifestyle, urbanization, changing food habits, increasing disposable income, increase interest in international foods, increase in number of nuclear families and easy availability of products due to rise in number of retail chains. “The product segment covers various frozen food categories such as frozen ready meals, fish/seafood, potatoes, fruits and vegetables and soup. Frozen ready meal segment includes wide range of products such as frozen pizza, desserts, entrees, and snacks etc. Frozen vegetables and fruits are considered the product for next generation due to advancement in freezing technologies that provide products with an extended shelf life, therefore it is expected to increase its market share by 2019.

The global frozen foods market continues to expand even in the wake of adverse economic conditions, driven by consumer desire for convenient and easy-to-cook foods. Further, the advent of innovative products and packaging, and growing health consciousness of consumers are also contributing to increased consumption of a wide variety of frozen foods. Wagh feels that the market has managed to overcome the recession owing to the increased demand for healthy and convenient products. The advent of new freezing technologies is allowing manufacturers to preserve nutritional content in fruits and vegetables for longer times.

The industry's biggest push was so− called home meal replacement that is, whole frozen meals that took the place of cooking from scratch. More consumers were willing to trade the convenience of a frozen meal for the satisfaction of making their own dinner from fresh foods. This meant that the industry was challenged to come up with more elaborate frozen dishes that required more testing and experimentation to pull off than the relatively simple frozen vegetables or breads. Food scientists are still working out the chemistry and physics of frozen foods, studying for example the relationship between low−molecular weight sugars and high−molecular weight stabilizers in a recipe to predict what foods

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

GIANT ASSAULT

40 will freeze well. Frozen food preservation method is growing & will grow more than other preservation method. India is emerging as Kitchen and Food basket to the world. An opportunity to freeze surplus produce with adequate requiring infrastructure support and practices. Cost of operation becoming prohibitive in EU and US, causing a shift to South East Asia−India.

The market is still increasing and will further get interesting as the awareness is increased by the multinationals like McCain, Godrej, Sumeru, Al Kabeer regarding frozen foods. Lastly, Simran added that the smaller players are trying to bring innovation and something new in the market. The companies are giving their best to fight on quality, taste and price of the products.

This further gives options to the customers to better judge and choose. Also, most of Indian population is young and accepting.

They have accepted the frozen foods as the part of their daily diets in various cities; further expanding the market of such products.

Choudhary stated that the global frozen

foods market is displaying moderate yet constant expansion. The increase in consumption of frozen food lies in its convenience quotient, hence the areas that are heading towards urbanization will display continued adoption of these foods. In urban areas, hectic lifestyles, and an increasing number of women in the workforce are leading to increased consumption of convenient foods, which include ready-to-eat meals or frozen foods.

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

Vora concludes that the frozen food market has immense potential in India.

The number of nuclear families and working woman is increasing day by day that ultimately leads to use the product which is easy to cook, requires less time, and Frozen Food is such a product. So, what I see in the future is one large deep fridge in every home, which is full of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, one just needs to take the product out, fry or heat it and eat.

WAY-OUT!

41 Krushi Panan Mandal, Pune at Bochra.

It was held at Summitra petrol pump and Zilla Officer Ashtik Kumar addressed the audience present there. He said that.

“20 tonnes of frozen banana containers has been dispatched to Jalgaon, Mumbai, and Iran. APEDA GM (Mumbai region), Prashant Waghmare, Ward officer – Uday Rajput, Tehsildar – Vishwanath Guge, Assistant officer – D.M. Sabale and other dignitaries in agricultural sector were present there.

Vote of thanks was given by Mohan Sonawane who was glad that many banana farmers attended this seminar.

It was indeed a pleasant time for all, as one quintal of banana priced at Rs 1175 would fetch good profits for the farmers.

The motive to conduct the seminar was to educate these banana farmers as they were hesitant to adopt new methods or export after a cheating case that occurred in Amboda village a year and half ago. A farmer was cheated because fake banana seeds were sold to him by a company. A police complaint was even lodged but unfortunately the poor farmer did not receive due compensation for the losses incurred.

This informative seminar encouraged many farmers to come forward and associate with several companies for banana export opportunities. The fear and hesitation after that incident had diminished as the farmers learnt a lot about banana seeds, export, and farming.

They were now convinced that the government is in support with them, and they greatly benefitted from this seminar.

Banana will rescue suicide prone Maharashtra farmers

As per APEDA data, India is ranks first in production of Bananas (22.94%), Papayas (44.03%) and Mangoes (including mangosteens, and guavas - 37.57%).

Banana is an important fruit crop of many tropical and subtropical regions of India.

It is cultivated in India in an area of 830.5 thousand ha and total production of about 29,779.91 thousand tons. The major banana growing states are Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

Many farmers and banana producers’ group attended the program organised by central government, APEDA, Agricultural Department (Maharashtra region) and

27 per cent of total banana production takes place in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Rainfall and humidity are particularly less in Maharashtra and in Gujarat state, that results in less incidence of insects, pests and diseases as compared to Central and South America and South East Asian countries. A superior cultivar

I

nitiative was taken for banana farmers in the Panaj, Bochra and Telhara regions in Maharashtra. A seminar was conducted on the 26th April 2017 wherein they were informed about the opportunities in banana export, how technology would help them improve their income and standard of living. Informative sessions were conducted to enable farmers to

understand and gain knowledge about banana seeds, new farming methods and export. These bananas are produced in taluka Chittalwadi and Hiwarkhed.

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

WAY-OUT!

42 namely Grand Naine, well accepted in international market is being cultivated in sizeable area in Maharashtra and Gujarat states. Red banana cultivar is preferred in some countries can create a market for itself with support of display, campaign etc. Banana is cultivated in sufficient acreage and in different agro-climatic conditions and thus is able to meet the large demands from importing countries on a continuous basis, provided planting and cultivation is well planned.

Banana origins Originally, bananas are from Malaysia.

They were then brought to India about 6th century. There were banana plantations set up in southern China by 200 A.D. It is said that when Alexander the Great visited India during his campaign in 327 A.D., he consumed bananas and took them to the western world.

Banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. bananas used for cooking are called plantains in some countries, in distinction to dessert bananas. This fruit is variable in size, color and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. Banana grows in clusters hanging from the top of the plant.

Bananas and plantains constitute a major staple food crop for people in developing countries. Unripe green bananas are used for cooking in most tropical countries.

These bananas can be cooked in same manner as potatoes. Both can be fried, boiled, baked, or chipped and have similar taste and texture when served.

One banana provides the same calories equivalent to one potato.

Banana fruit comes in yellow, green, and red varieties and has been proven to have many medicinal benefits.

Natural and rich source of Potassium Bananas are a natural source of potassium.

Potassium is important for the human body as it helps to keep the body fluids and electrolyte balance in body cells and helps to regulate blood pressure.

Significant amount of potassium in the body can reduce the possibility of a stroke.

Bananas are high in potassium and low in salt makes it ideal for people suffering from blood pressure problems and must

Bananas are very rich in potassium and very low in sodium help manage blood pressure better. They even help to maintain water balance in the body and detoxifies body to protect you against heart attack and stroke.

watch their salt intake. Research also states that potassium can help to improve a person's alertness. Nevertheless, it should be noted that excessive quantities of potassium cause decreased heart muscle activity. A medium-size banana contains approximately 450 mg of potassium.

Full of Vitamins and Minerals Bananas contains good quantity of vitamins. Large-size bananas have considerable amounts of vitamin A which is essential for the development of specialised tissue in the eyes. It is also important for the growth of the skin and soft skeletal tissue. Vitamin B is also present in the form of Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folic acid. These help in calm the nervous system. Bananas also contain small amount of Vitamin C. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins B6, and minerals like potassium and manganese make it a very nutritious fruit.

Following are amazing health benefits that banana fruit offers: 1. Instant energy provider Banana is an excellent source of instant energy with an average of 105 calories.

It is especially great after-work out food because it instantly replenishes the low levels of glucose in the blood commonly seen after a workout. Consume a banana immediately after workout to gain instant kick of energy.

2. Best solution for muscle cramps What’s the best relief when your muscles cramp up or wake up in the night because of a painful cramp in your legs? Bananas could just be the right solution for you - because of its high magnesium and potassium content, they are the best way to replenish the minerals in your body.

It helps relax the muscles and provides protection from any further episodes of leg cramps.

3. Keeps blood pressure under check

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

4. Keeps acidity away Bananas are very effective antacids.

They coat the inner lining of the stomach and suppress acid secretion, thus protecting you from stomach ulcers and acidity. Acidity can be a cause for heartburn.

5. Relief from constipation Both the fruit and stem are rich in fibre and pectin which helps assist bowel motility and eases out constipation. Alternatively, you can even drink the juice prepared from the banana plant stem.

6. Helps to recover fast after diarrhoea Down with diarrhoea? Banana can be beneficial after diarrhoea too! Diarrhoea leaves your body dehydrated and depleted of electrolytes. Restore the lost potassium by eating bananas.

7. A natural probiotic The probiotic effect of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) present in bananas, helps stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestine, provides protection against gastric disturbances.

It is also good for your bone health too.

Fermentation of FOS reduces the pH in the gut thereby promoting calcium absorption which in turn builds strong bones. Banana stem helps to eliminate fluids from the body. This diuretic effect is thought to be useful in elimination of kidney stones and helps detoxify the body. The stem is also believed to dissolve stones.

8. Promotes good sleep Eat one banana before bed can help promote sleep. The soothing effect is due to important level of tryptophan which gets converted to serotonin in the brain. It not only improves the mood but also makes the person more alert thus improving concentration levels.

9. Gain glowing skin There are some beauty benefits involved with banana. You can add bananas to your diet. Banana masks are a natural way to get smooth and glowing skin.

It has moisturising properties which is extremely good for people with dry skin.

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Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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Agro & Food Processing May 2017

PACKAGING NEWS

45

PackEx India to have a strong supporting partner

The Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India

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oelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd, Indian subsidiary of Koelnmesse GmbH has joined hands with The Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India (IPMMI) to promote PackEx India concurrent to ANUTEC – International FoodTec India. Starting from 2017, Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd, an Indian subsidiary of Koelnmesse GmbH, world’s leading trade fair organiser for food fairs and events regarding food and beverage processing will jointly promote PackEx India in concurrent to ANUTEC – International FoodTec India with IPMMI, is leading association for the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers in India.

This conglomerate will lead in bringing together the vast expertise of Koelnmesse in the field of organising trade fairs and industry knowledge and acquaintance

of the subject from the IPMMI. With this association, whole industry can get benefitted and increase this business opportunity.

Koelnmesse, as a trade fair organiser will be involved in the conceptualisation and planning of the exhibition, and will strengthen its forces to make the show better even that of the trade fair organised in the past. On the other side, IPMMI, will promote the show amongst its members and will also be involved in organising a high technical seminar by bringing in experts from various fields of Packaging Industries and will help to share and find solutions for the technicalities and problems faced by packaging industries.

“The IPMMI is privileged to be associated with the Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd as a resource partner for the PackEx India Exhibition in Mumbai, India. On behalf of the IPMMI, we wish excellent business development opportunities to

all the exhibitors” – Mahendra Mehta, President, IPMMI. “Koelnmesse India with its industry partner IPMMI will bring the entire gamut of the Packaging Industry under one roof at PackEx India.”

– Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer, Koelnmesse GmbH. “We thank IPMMI, for their trust and support for our PackEx India. This association will help both exhibitors and visitors in attaining their goals towards the betterment of the Industry and in generating revenues for their companies by participating in the exhibition” – Ashwani Pande, Managing Director, Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd.

Cosmo Films upgrades its anti-fog film for wider applications

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osmo Films, a leading manufacturer of speciality BOPP films, has come up with an improvised anti-fog film with excellent cold & hot anti fog properties and high hot tack & low coefficient of friction which can deliver high speed over wrapping performance. This means that the film would now be suitable

for packaging of even unpolished fruits in trays on high speed HFFS machines.

Anti-fog films are generally transparent films which go in for fresh fruits/ vegetables, salad packaging, meat packaging applications. The high moisture content in these food items lead to mist formationon the film surface thus affecting the visibility and therefore perceived freshness of the food packed inside.

An anti-fogging film not only prevents this phenomenon leading to a better visibility of the contents inside but also renders the pack a better shelf

appeal owing to its enhanced gloss/optics.

The film complies with the EC and FDA food contact regulations.

The film is a co-extruded both sides heat sealable, both side treated BOPP film where printing is done generally on the top side and inner side lends in the antifogging characteristics. The film works well in a single layer as well as BOPP/AF BOPP laminate structure.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Shailesh Verma, Head-Packaging Films Exports, Cosmo Films said, “The film has excellent machinability, high heat seal & high hot tack strength and low seal initiation temperature and therefore works very well on high speed packing machines. The film is available in 15 to 40 microns thickness. Company also makes film compatible for sealing on PE trays. A Keep Fresh grade providing longer shelf life because of anti-bacterial properties is also available.”

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

TECH NEWS

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Buhler innovations at Interpack Buhler’s strategy is based on maintaining innovation and technology leadership for the food industry. Every year, Buhler invests 5% of turnover into Research & Development. Consequently, at Interpack, Buhler presents 20 new products and processes. monitoring and control for DoMiReCo production lines.

This achieves consistent quality with higher productivity, output and with the requirement for fewer shutdowns.

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irst step in the ‘Smart Chocolate Factory’ In industrial chocolate production, high productivity and consistent product quality are key. The availability of sensors, actuators, and IoT technologies opens possibilities for an even more efficient production. At Interpack, Buhler is demonstrating how chocolate mass production will change in the future and is presenting a more intelligent process

ChocoGenius, the smart online learning platform for operators Digital technology enables education wherever it is needed. At Interpack, Buhler presents its new online learning platform, ChocoGenius. Focused on people running the processing lines, it includes blended learning with a range of learning videos, tutorials, interactive training modules, and troubleshooting guides. ChocoGenius complements Buhler’s existing training offer that includes application and training centers and the trainings on customer sites.

ChocoBotic During an internal innovation challenge, Buhler employees developed a new chocolate molding plant with integrated robot technology: ChocoBotic celebrates its world premiere at Interpack.

Chocolate processors can now manufacture smaller batches of specialties or seasonal items without having to interrupt production on large plants.

ChocoBotic unlocks the opportunities for enterpreneurs to enter chocolate production or can be employed for new product development or market entry.

The digital portal, myBuhler With the new myBuhler service portal, customers can directly access a wide range of information and services online: They find an overview of the installed equipment and the manuals. Also, customers have the capability to order spare parts with the click of a button. At Interpack, Buhler presents information about this digital complement to its customer service range.

Maximum safety and sanitation in nut processing

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

With the Sortex F BioVision, Buhler combines the hygienic design of the F sorting platform with BioVision recognition technology for the first time.

BioVision technology uses spectral differences to identify even the smallest deviations, meaning that foreign bodies, such as shell fragments from nuts, can be recognized even when they cannot be distinguished from the actual product in terms of color.

Producing sponge dough of the highest quality and sanitation levels Sponge dough and sourdough are ever more popular. The continuous spongedough process, JetMix, combines high sanitary requirements, developed with EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group), with outstanding mixing quality. The sophisticated

automation and control enables precise monitoring of the process and the process has push-button automated cleaning.

Textured plant proteins as wholesome meat substitutes To sustainably supply a growing world population with high-quality proteins, non-animal-based alternatives will be in greater demand in the future. Textured vegetable proteins (TVP), from peas and pulses, for example, are produced through the process of extrusion cooking. In terms of fiber structure and sensory qualities, they become indistinguishable from meat.

At Interpack, Buhler presents information about its integrated production solutions for TVP using a broad range of plant protein sources.

TECH NEWS

47

The New Steadyedge Pet Container Base by Sidel Combines Creative Opportunities With Optimum Performance

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teadyEDGE™ is a unique, patented base solution which offers Food, Home and Personal Care (FHPC) producers enhanced brand differentiation options together with maximum production efficiency.

The use of PET is steadily gaining market share in FHPC markets traditionally dominated by HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and PP (Polypropylene).

In 2016, PET packages accounted for 29 billion units for Food, 7 billion units for Personal Care and 8 billion units for Home Care. These figures are expected to grow by an average of 3 per cent for all three sectors until 2020. Within these highly competitive markets, Sidel's new steadyEDGE base offers chances to accelerate the take-up of PET containers.

Along with innovative and attractive PET package design variants it ensures stable and cost-efficient production.

Creative and distinctive package With SteadyEDGE, brands will appear exactly as intended.

The new base technology is designed to meet the challenge of producing flat, oval, and rectangular containers in PET, which all require a specific production process that delivers the optimum material distribution of PET to achieve a top-quality package. “It makes it possible to achieve premium-quality containers in PET, with sharper edges which have a radius as little as only 1mm, compared to a previous minimum of 2.5mm,” explains Pierrick Protais, Packaging Innovation Leader at Sidel. These sharper edges increase design freedom and facilitate the production of more elegant

containers with bases which are less curved. Also, they open particular marketing opportunities for containers with complex shapes and large labelling surfaces. The technology also ensures maximum container quality by way of accurate processing, optionally reinforced by a monitoring system of visual control of base movement on individual blowing stations.

More stable package for optimum uptime The sharper edges possible on the package are used to effectively flatten and increase the 'standing ring' area of the base. “In this way, the package is much more stable, preventing unwanted rocking and reducing the possibility of containers being knocked over," adds Protais. "The application of SteadyEDGE to any design can enhance the package's stability by as much as 35 per cent.” This is beneficial on the supermarket shelf and in the home, as well as improving reliability on the production line. As packages are far less likely to fall while they are being conveyed between various machines, this results in fewer costly stoppages and greatly improved uptime.

Cost-efficient and sustainable production

This innovative packaging solution optimises productivity and low total cost of ownership (TCO) while product quality and reliability are maintained to a high standard. Benefits include lightweighting possibilities of up to 10 pe cent through the improved material stretch on the base.

A reduction in blowing pressure decreases energy consumption by up to 20 per cent during production when limitation is linked to base design. The solution has been achieving higher output rates which are also up to 10 per cent faster from 1,800 bottles per hour per mould for flat containers with a standard base to 2,000 bottles per hour per mould with SteadyEDGE. Such greatly improved line performance typically contributes to a return on investment (ROI) in less than a single year.

Smarter blowing and quick changeover The specific sharp base design is achieved using the new Sidel patented base mould system: Base OverStroke System (BOSS). BOSS is a piston activated in the blowing phase to stroke the base.

This mechanical element allows for the raising and lowering of the base during the bottle-forming process independent of the opening and closing of the two halfshells of the mould.

BOSS provides flexible and versatile production with the option to implement quick mould changeovers and ensure maximum production uptime. A BOSSto-BOSS changeover can be performed in just 3 minutes; BOSS-to-other can be performed in 11 minutes. Easy to implement and to retrofit, Sidel's new BOSS solution is fully compatible with Sidel Universal blowing machines.

It is currently in use by customers in different parts of the world, with over 200 million containers already produced, and will shortly also be available for Sidel Matrix™ blowing machines.

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

NEWS

48

DuPont & University of Virginia Study Demonstrates Probiotics Support Respiratory Immune Function volunteers probiotics.

with

use

of

The results of the new study suggest that ingestion of Bl04™ may modify the innate immune system response following supplementation and the inflammatory response in the nose following rhinovirus infection.

Probiotics have induced expression of antiviral responses in preclinical cell and animal models. Moreover, Bl-04™ has been shown to reduce the risk of upper respiratory illness episodes in a human clinical trial over a 5-month study time.

D

uPont Nutrition & Health (DuPont) announced that a study published in Beneficial Microbes and sponsored by DuPont and the University of Virginia demonstrated the role of probiotic supplementation to maintain healthy respiratory immune function.

The results of a randomized, doubleblind, placebo controlled study investigating the effect probiotics had on the immune response in healthy, rhinovirus-challenged adult human subjects suggest that ingestion of Bl-04™ at a dose of 2 billion cfu per day impacts the inflammatory response to rhinovirus infection. The common cold is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and is typically caused by rhinovirus infection.

A specific probiotic strain Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04™ (Bl-04™), available only from DuPont, was consumed by participants for one month, and innate immune response and presence of rhinovirus in the nostrils was investigated.

The virus and the immune markers were analyzed from nasal washes, collected before and after Bl-04™ supplementation

and for 5 days after the introduction of the rhinovirus challenge. Compared to placebo, the probiotic supplement, commercially available HOWARU® Protect Adult, had an effect on the presence of the virus in the nostrils, demonstrated by a decreased amount of rhinovirus in nasal washes during infection and a lower proportion of study participants with rhinovirus detected in nasal washes.

“The effects observed in this short-term, well-controlled study were modest and may only partially explain reduction in illness reported in the natural setting,” said Dr. Ron Turner, MD, professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine.

“However, the results do suggest the utility of further investigations of the effect of specific probiotics on innate immune function in the human host.”

This study approach known as a challenge model is unique in that it provides an opportunity to characterize the interaction between the infection and host responses under controlled conditions in human

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

“DuPont has a strong portfolio of clinically documented probiotics for immune health including HOWARU® Protect EarlyLife for pregnant mothers and infants, HOWARU® Protect Kids, HOWARU® Protect Sport, HOWARU® Protect Senior, and, of course, HOWARU® Protect Adult.

We are committed to continuing to clinically research probiotics for immune health, digestive health and emerging health areas,” said Megan DeStefano, global probiotics marketing leader, DuPont Nutrition & Health.

“HOWARU® Protect Adult (Bl-04™) is one of the best documented probiotics for immune health in the world, and we are proud to be able to deliver an efficacious and stable probiotic to the industry so consumers can benefit.”

DuPont is committed to continuing research to better understand the role of probiotic supplementation and microbiota in immune system function. Bl-04™ is the first probiotic strain that has shown efficacy on modulating immune response in a well-controlled rhinovirus challenge model. We are excited to continue research collaboration with University of Virginia on investigating the efficacy of Bl-04™ further.

NEWS

49

Packing machines: Modularity and digitalisation are the key to more flexibility

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oday's diversity of food at the point of sale faces the packing mechanical engineers with big challenges. The trend is moving in the direction of smaller batch sizes, which are available on the retail market within the shortest period. The engineers are reacting to this with highly-flexible machines that are equipped with a wide range of different filling or sealing systems and which can be simply adapted to suit other products or packing material.

Following the principle of combining reduced mechanics and intelligent software.

A modular system for flexibility Whether it is a carton erector, top loader, side loader sealer, lidder or case packer: A modular construction is indispensable for modern packing machines. The individual machines comprise of a mechatronic modular construction kit with autonomous and compatible components. Put together to form a flexible whole unit, they cover the complete process of secondary packing from the product feed, through to securing the pallet.

However, this does not suffice alone, because the decentralisation requires more ‘intelligence’ in the individual components. The entire spectrum of glasses, jars or cups can be grouped and fed into and onto the same line using optimised control algorithms. The dispensing of almost all the mechanical components goes hand in hand with the modular construction.

The advantages of this principle are obvious: Since every component can have a malfunction, the susceptibility of the entire system decreases the fewer components it contains.

Whereas up until now rigid conveyor belts dominated the scene, rail-based shuttle systems and multi-carrier systems are opening new perspectives. The cups, boxes or panels move along on them from one processing station to the next without congestion and noise and thus enable an independent flow between the production machine and the packing line.

In this way, with a packer connected in direct sequence splinted with a palletiser a compact line is created that enables

the conversion over to new formats and formations at any time.

Robots implemented for food The primary packing is the biggest challenge for the plant engineers. Here, the packing material meets the food at the highest possible speed. The aim is to unite clocked processing with a continual product flow - the robot is called for at the very latest here.

Special kinematics and robots are called for, which dispose of the necessary equipment with their force-torque sensors to carry out high-precision dynamical movements in all three spatial directions.

The pregrouping of fish fingers or chocolates on the conveyor belt or directly packing items into folding boxes are their domains. They particularly demonstrate the principle and benefit of the modular concept.

Equipped with 3D scanners and image processing software, the robots can locate the volumes, height and colour of the approaching products down to the very millimetre and grip them at the right moment. Top values of up to 200 picks per minute are not seldom in the case of the models presented at Anuga FoodTec. Trimmed to Industry 4.0 The packing machines are not least assessed according to whether they are compatible with the Industry 4.0 concepts of tomorrow. To push the digitalisation, the engineers are working closely together with their colleagues from the automation industry.

In this way, they create plants that are easier to operate and which are more readily accessible. The youngest generation of Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) notices the look & feel of smartphones. Thanks to the intuitive operation via a touch-sensitive surface, it is possible to input data and navigate using gestures.

Industry 4.0 components create the prerequisite for the synchronisation between the individual components and for the networking of the machines among each other. Controls, servo drives, pneumatics, I/Os and sensors - every

component is trimmed to efficiency and contributes to the overall performance of the line. Fast, real-time compatible bus systems replace the old cables more frequently.

Due to the provision of all common fieldbus interfaces such as CAN bus, Profibus, ProfiNet or EtherCAT, a crossmanufacturer universally configurable connection to the control can be realised, which keeps pace with the growing data rates. What was still considered to be utopian a few years ago, is now within reach thanks to compact servo drives with decentralised control intelligence: the mass-produced packing machine without a control cabinet.

Starting signal for the digital twin The packing mechanical engineers are currently taking the vision of Industry 4.0 to the extreme with the realisation of an ambitious concept: the digital twin. It is soon to accompany every plant from the first idea through to the modernisation.

We are talking about a virtual image of the real machine, which is constructed and expanded parallel to the real machine - ideally throughout the entire life cycle. Here, virtual sensors process the measured data about the status of the plant into complex reports.

In this way, even before the first real food is packed, the engineers can simulate the production process, find out weak points and integrate further modules into the plant in a targeted manner. The concept goes much further than merely mapping the packing machine. It functions bidirectionally and enables an optimised machine design, uncomplicated commissioning, short changeover times and faultless operation. In this way, the real and virtual production merge together to form an intelligent overall system.

The initial approaches of the digital twin for packing machines will be on display at Anuga FoodTec from 20.-23.03.2018.

Wherever the journey is heading: Armed with the machines and components presented in Cologne, the food manufacturers will be well equipped for packing their products fast and flexibly.

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Customer solutions center for vertical packaging opened in the Netherlands during Interpack 2017

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omplete system solutions running live demonstrations • Expert on-site consultations and packaging workshops • New microsite to help find an optimal system solution for individual needs Bosch Packaging Technology has opened its new customer solutions center for Weert, the Netherlands, during interpack 2017 to help food and non-food producers maximize the value of their operations when selecting a complete vertical system solution for their packaging operation. At the center, Bosch display a selection of systems for the confectionery, chocolate, nuts, snacks, and powder industries, while the company’s experts were also available for on-site consultation.

The new interactive microsite www. solutions4value.com allows users to explore Bosch’s systems capabilities and book a visit to the customer solutions center at their convenience.

“The opening of the center at our Weert site marks a new era in customer relations and service for Bosch”, says Leon van de Wiel, General Manager at Bosch Packaging Technology. “Well known for our bespoke vertical packaging equipment

that is used in the most challenging applications, we are now applying decades of experience and expertise to developing standardized, almost “off-the-shelf” system solutions for value. We are linking Bosch’s proven standard modules into complete solutions for specific industries such as confectionery, bakery, snacks and powders, and various requirements from high-hygiene to entry-level automation.

The ultimate benefit of a single point of contact for the entire system makes this approach ideal for producers of all sizes”.

Confectionery and nuts The new customer solutions center displays three standardized system solutions for nuts and confectionery manufacturers, depending on their key production and marketing objectives. For producers looking for shelf differentiation and convenience at the point-of-sale, the system solution with stand-up bag styles in shelf-ready cases is showcased. For those looking for maximum bag and case style flexibility to address ever-changing consumer tastes, there is the flexible system solution offering nine bag styles in various cases. If speed is required, then the efficient system solution equipped by

the vision-guided robot can pack up to 500 pillow bags per minute.

Powders For manufacturers of various powder products, such as baking, infant milk, flour, soya, maizena and non-food powders, there is a choice between the entry-level system solution and a highhygiene option. Thus, Bosch delivers solution for customers taking the first steps in automation or striving to meet demanding food safety standards.

Snacks In the customer solutions center, Bosch has also combined its own wide portfolio for snacks with offerings from KliklokWoodman, acquired by the company in 2015. On display is Woodman’s legendary reliability system solution, which is specifically configured for the efficient packing of salted snacks, such as potato chips and tortillas, while crackers and cookies producers can benefit from Kliklok’s protective system solution for snacks that require gentler handling.

To learn more and explore Bosch system solutions, and to try our unique “find a match” feature, visit www. solutions4value.com.

121, 1st Floor, Rassaz Multiplex, Station Road, Mira Road (E), Dist Thane - 401 107, Maharashtra.

Ph. : +91-22-28115068, 28555069, 8689979988 Email : info@agronfoodprocessing.com www.agronfoodprocessing.com

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Teff rice will be the new entrant in Indian agri sector

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fter chia and quinoa, teff is the new superfood that is set to make an entry into the Indian farm sector, courtesy the Mysuru-based Central Food and Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). Teff, a droughtresistant rice, is a staple food crop of Ethiopia, and the grain can be traced back to the Abyssinian civilisation. CFTRI Director Ram Rajasekharan said, “teff is gluten-free, has high resistant starch, low glycemic load and is rich in essential amino acids. It has a high protein content of around 12-13 per cent, equivalent to the vegetable version of egg whites. It is also rich in micro-nutrients such as calcium, iron and Vitamin C.” Teff has been declared a superfood by the United Nations. Superfoods have advanced nutrition profiles that help improve the health and wellness of people.

Superfoods can alleviate malnutrition and help improve the health of those suffering from lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

Teff as an ingredient blends well into various foods such as dosa, porridge,

crop, can be grown in both kharif and rabi seasons. It is suitable for districts with dry zones in Karnataka. The international wholesale prices of teff are around Rs. 650-700 a kg.

roti, and gluten-free breads, he said.

“We had brought the seeds from the US Department of Agriculture four years ago and carried out trials in various locations, including areas around Mysuru, parts of Tamil Nadu and in Bagalkot, North Karnataka. Two of the 19 varieties are suitable for Indian conditions. As with chia and quinoa, we plan to give the teff seeds free to farmers.”

Rajashekaran added that upcoming kharif season will see teff being planted in Karnataka, and the grain has potential to yield 200-250 kg per acre. Teff, a hardy

CFTRI has collaborated with Sri Sri Rural Development Program to extend their efforts to farmers for superfood production and farm gate food processing. CFTRI has also developed agro-technology to suit Indian conditions for both white and brown varieties of teff grains, plans to have workshops to sensitise farmers and help develop recipes to blend it into traditional Indian foods. It has tied up with the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, for production of teff seeds.

CFTRI introduced superfoods such as chia and quinoa in India in recent years, and provides solutions for post-harvest management, food processing, advanced nutrition, and allied sciences.

Govt to form spices farmers’ cos in Arunachal Pradesh

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ommerce ministry shall set up spices farmers producer companies (SFPCs) on pilot basis in Arunachal Pradesh to help small and marginal farmers get better prices for produce. The SFPCs would help farmers get better prices through post-harvest management, primary processing, value addition, packing, aggregation and organic certification.

Each SFPC will have 500 farmers as members in a sub-division or district, a commerce and industry ministry release said. The farmers will be identified on cluster basis in a village, taluka, or district by forming Farmer Interest Group, each consisting of 20 farmers. 25 such FIGs will be formed to establish a SFPC. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala

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Sitharaman will attend the orientation programme for establishment of SFPCs and buyer seller meet in Arunachal Pradesh. The ministry said, “this is a Government of India’s initiative to benefit small and marginal spice farmers in the north-eastern states.”

Over 100 spice farmers, NGOs, farmers’ association, primary processors from Arunachal Pradesh and 35 big exporters from across the country will participate in the day-long event.

The objective of the programme is to operationalise SFPC on pilot basis in three districts, it said. The move would help farmers as the north-eastern states are major producers of different spices including cardamom, ginger.

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Relax norms for greater access to mangoes

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ndia has asked the US to relax certain norms related to irradiation for greater access to homegrown mangoes in the American markets.Several other agri and non-agri products face non-tax barriers in the US markets. The phyto-sanitary (related with plants) norms imposed by the US for mangoes from India requires irradiation treatment and inspection prior to the shipment. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha“This time consuming and costly process of certification makes Indian mangoes less competitive in the US market.” She said that the government has requested the US to ‘relax these norms’. India has also sought the option of irradiation at source or upon arrival in the US to provide flexibility for Indian exporters.

Besides, the country has proposed that US should allow National Plant Protection Organisation to carry out pre-shipment inspection of mangoes to save cost, a process which is currently conducted jointly by India and the US, she added.

The US has imposed certain irradiation treatment conditions for pomegranate

exports from India as well. Sitharaman said America has not granted market access to the Indian grapes either. “The US has granted market access to Indian Litchis after the performance of cold treatment. However, no Litchis have been exported in the last two years.”

She also listed out other non-tax barriers being faced by Indian exporters in the US market. On pharmaceuticals, Sitharaman said the American law has introduced high registration fee for companies manufacturing generic drugs.

“Indian pharma companies are subject to unwarranted and unjustifiably, enhanced inspections in the US.” She said, there is an inordinate delay

between the issue of form 483 (issue to companies after inspection) and the final FDA report which may lead to a warning or a ban. Similarly, the other sectors which face such barriers include Ayurveda and traditional Indian medicines, seafood exports and meat containing products.

“Imports of shrimp have come under increased scrutiny by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)” adding that exporters of meat-based products to the US face difficulties in obtaining approval of their processing facilities from US veterinary services.

Sitharaman said the US has placed 23 items produced in India on the list of goods produced by child or forced labours, which is in effect a ban on their imports. On the 'Buy-America' provisions, she said Indian manufacturers and suppliers are ‘unjustly’ excluded from the public procurement market in the US. These provisions require the US government to prefer US-made products and suppliers in its purchases. She added a total of Rs 623.5 crore has been released to 17 alternate investment funds under the 'Fund of Funds' scheme for start-ups.

Organic farming area may treble to 20 lakh hectares by 2020

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he area under cultivation for organic farming in India is expected to increase from 7 lakh hectare (ha) now to 20 lakh ha by 2020.

Before the onset of Green Revolution in the 1960s, organic farming was widely in use, but productivity was low. India was forced to depend on imports due to acute shortages. During the Revolution (1960s-1980s), food production increased but its benefits did not reach farmers.

Besides, soil fertility and ground water quality and volumes, due to excessive use of fertilisers and irrigation, were impacted very negatively. International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), Bengaluru - Executive Director, Manoj Kumar Menon said that “In the 1980s, farmers revived organic farming and, in the 1990s they discovered new

commercial opportunities. In 2001, the Government of India announced a national policy on growth of organic products. The confirmed area under certified organic farming increased from just 42,000 ha in 2003-04 to 7 lakh ha now. In fact, in 2016-17, the overall area under certified management for organic farming is 11.8 lakh ha, including area under-conversion in Year-1, Year-2 and Year-3 stages.” Among the organic crops, the largest area, at 3.8 lakh ha, is under cotton cultivation. Other popular organic agro-products include high-value soyabean, fruits and vegetables, cereals and basmati rice, tea, coffee, and milk.

The cost of certification is a major reason for these products being expensive.

Besides, issues like logistic and supply chain management also add to the price.

This is because organic production centres are few in numbers and scattered over farflung areas, unlike conventional centres see lower costs due to higher volumes.

The Indian market for organic products is export-focused. Out of the estimated Rs 5,000-crore market, Rs 3,800 crore comes from exports. It is expected to cross the $1.50 billion (about Rs 10,000 crore) mark by 2020.

The global demand for organic products is growing at 20-25 per cent per annum.

India’s market itself is growing at 40-50 per cent. The worldwide sales is expected to increase from $80 billion in 2015 to $100 billion in 2017. ICCOA is partnering with the Karnataka government hosted the ‘National Trade Fair 2017 - Organics and Millets’ in Bengaluru from April 2830.

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North Eastern States submit Rs.100 cr subsidy Proposal to PMO

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ikkim government has proposed to Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Union Ministry of Agriculture and Food Processing to enhance subsidy relating to food processing, logistics and post harvesting to a minimum of Rs.100 crores for entire north east including Sikkim to promote industrial activities in these areas, according to Khorlo Bhutia, Principal Secretary, Horticulture and Cash Crop Development Department, Government of Sikkiim.

Bhutia announced that the government of Sikkim has also urged the PMO and other relevant departments in the central government to extend substantial financial support to the government of Sikkim or dairy development as it would lead to Cow Protection that's manure would be useful to enable the state to retain its organic nature. Cow Protection is critical in Sikkim to retain the fertility

of its land and soil to go on producing organic produce for its people and export purposes because with their manure, the state would carry on the fertility of its land and soil as it has already emerged as the only organic state in the country.

Elaborating on the subsidy factor for food processing units and logistics industry and post harvesting techniques, Bhutia said that currently subsidies to promote these industries in north east amounted to Rs.13 crores per annum is peanuts. Therefore, a proposal has already been submitted to the PMO including Ministries of Agriculture and Food Processing and the union cabinet is likely to dispose off this proposal shortly as indication to this effect have already reached to the northern eastern states including Sikkim, he said.

He said that the Sikkim government

will shortly launch Rs.150 crores worth of cashless agri and horti cultural programme to promote cash crop in the state to enhance cultivation of cardamom, ginger, turmeric and the like. This programme will be launched by the Chief Minister of Sikkim.

In his address to Mr K D Bhattacharya, Deputy Director, MSMEs- Development Institute, Kolkata, Government of India said that the Ministry of MSME has several subsidised programme and schemes to support for the prosperity of local entrepreneurs in Sikkim and urged to take advantage of them to hike organic produce in state for domestic consumption as also export. Director, PHD Chamber, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta in his remarks appreciated the efforts of the state government for inviting investment in the state as with this, enterprise in the state will grow and so the employment.

Delayed commercialization fettering GM crops development

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atings agency ICRA said in its report that the delayed commercialization and persisting negative sentiment in the industry for genetically modified (GM) crop may hamper the greater scientific research and development in the sector.

sentiment against the GM crops especially in the food sector. Delayed commercialization and persisting negative sentiment in the industry could hamper the greater scientific research and development in the sector.

Adoption of GM seeds, be it for food crops or industrial crops, in the domestic market still faces significant resistance from its opponents, with some of the key concerns being threat to bio-diversity, safety aspects for human consumption, lack of transparent regulatory framework and possibility of concentration of pricing power with large multinational corporations.

India has recorded a CAGR of 4 per cent in area under cultivation of GM crops from CY 2010 to CY 2015 whereas Brazil has recorded CAGR of 10 per cent during the same period. The domestic seed industry is witnessing increased level of activity over field testing of GM seeds over the last two years. Field trials of GM seeds for crops such as cotton, rice, maize, brinjal, mustard and chickpea are underway in some states.

Post adoption of Bt cottonseed, India has gone slow on adoption of GM seeds. Despite the industry working on development of many GM seeds, there has not been any commercialization beyond Bt cottonseed in past several years.

The industry faces significant negative

Delays remain a concern given the rising population and need for increasing yields to support the growing demand. However, the pace of adoption of GM seeds in India so far has been slow with commercialization of only one

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

GM crop in last 15 years whereas other countries such as the US, China, Canada and Brazil have commercialized eight, five, four and three GM crops, added the report.

Rising global population is putting pressures on farmlands to produce more food, especially in developing countries like India and given that the area under cultivation cannot be increased beyond a certain limit, the only way to increase production is through yield improvements, the report said.

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Premium edible oil variants give better returns in terms of margins

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ndians are getting exposed to international eating habits and this has supported the demand for premium oils to grow in India. Therefore edible oil players like Adani Wilmar, Vimal Oil and Food, Cargill India are betting on the premium oil variants which give better returns in terms of margins. On an average, profit margins in the premium edible oil category like olive, rice bran and canola are in the range of 25 per cent, compared with 10 per cent in case of conventional oils like mustard, groundnut, cotton, etc.

Lucrative margins attract edible oil producers to jump into the premium segment. Against 5-10 per cent profit margins in regular edible oils, the premium segment is giving 20-25 per cent profit. However, at present the market is limited to upper class and higher middle class.

As such, India's import of premium edible oils like olive and canola oil has sharply increased as consumption of premium oils has grown in the last two years.

According to industry sources, the

country has imported about 110,000 tonnes premium oils in 2016-17 as against 70,000-75,000 tonnes two years ago, a growth of 15-17 per cent. Most of the imports are taking place from Spain, Italy and Canada.

Cargill claimed that of the total edible oil market of about 20 million tonnes in India, the share of premium segment is still negligible but is growing rapidly, and is expected to double by 2020. As compared to the 4-5 per cent annual growth rate of conventional oils, the premium oils portfolio is clocking a 17-18 per cent growth rate.

Albeit slowly, but demand of premium edible oils is steadily growing in India.

Most of the consumers are using it because of the health purpose. Companies are also promoting the segment as the profits are higher than normal edible oils business.

Most companies are spending more on promotional activities to create a market

for premium oils and spend about Rs 7-10 crore every year on this.

Another Gujarat-based company, Vimal Oil and Foods Limited is planning to import from Spain through a joint venture. The company is looking for some foreign partnership and in talks with some players in Spain. Initially, it will import in packaged format and launch it in next two or three months. The company is planning to import about 400-500 tonnes a year and gradually increase the import based on demand. The company will launch it under Vimal brand.

Olive oil is healthy for heart, helps decrease cardio vascular diseases

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eart attacks claim many lives in India and to avert that fateful threat to your heart, health experts said that olive oil can help to decrease cardio vascular diseases. Olive oil is rich in Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) that aids in improving glycaemic control & plasma lipid control and increase insulin sensitivity in diabetics and improve cardio vascular health.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that by 2020, cardiovascular disease will be the cause of over 40 per cent deaths in India as compared to 24 per cent in 1990. Head Dietician at Saroj Superspecialty hospital, Nidhi Dhawan said “Olive oil contains a very important health benefiting element called oleic acid. It is known to be extremely hearthealthy and capable of fighting free radical damage (or oxidative stress), which has

numerous health implications. She added that due to the presence of powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols, olive oil is considered an anti-inflammatory food.

Chief Marketing Officer of Cargill foods, Neelima Burra said it has been proven that olive oil is beneficial as it prevents strokes, keeps the heart young, fights osteoporosis, protects from depression, prevents skin and breast cancer. Cargill food had earlier launched Leonardo Olive approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) because of the rising cases of cardio vascular and other diseases such as diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive and pulmonary disease, and cancer. There was a rise in cardio vascular cases in rural India, Burra said that there is a need for the people of rural India to have more

awareness about olive oil and its health benefits.

Experts were speaking on the occasion of World Health Day (7th April). Unlike other edible oils, olive oil contains about 75 per cent mono saturated fat that makes it the healthiest of all.

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Global bioplastics for packaging market to reach $7.2 bn by 2022

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ccording to Smithers Pira’s new research report, ‘The future of bioplastics for packaging to 2022’, the global bioplastics for packaging industry is forecast to grow from 2017-2022 at an annual average rate of 17 percent to a market value of almost $7.2 billion.

Bioplastics for packaging markets currently represent a very small share of the global plastic packaging market value, but it will grow very strongly more than doubling in value across the forecast period.

The most successful organisations in this fast developing segment will be those that most effectively meet the remaining key challenges facing the commercial adoption of bioplastics in packaging.

Firstly this involves identifying those opportunities where a premium can be expected for a naturally sourced product, overcoming biopolymers negative cost competitiveness versus petro-polymers caused by falls in world crude oil prices since mid-2014.

Further more in packaging applications where it is technically possible for bioplastics to replace oil-based polymers, suppliers will also have to manage the problems of higher production costs, capital availability, and limited availability of bio-based feedstock over

the coming years.

While the potential market for bioplastics is huge, consumption rates will depend on whether producers can grow their production capabilities fast enough and at acceptable cost/performance levels to meet demand.

Decades ago, the oil refinery and petrochemical industry successfully implemented the use of added-value business models. These business models generated high levels of profit by integrating the supply chain from the oil well head all the way through chemicals and polymer production. This allowed producers to operate an integrated raw material and polymer complex with very few middle-men and therefore captured profit at each level of the supply chain.

It is expected that the biopolymer sector will adapt an added-value business model in a similar way. “Unlike oil refineries, a bio-refinery will be capable of processing many different types of biomass, including sugars, cellulose and various plant oils,” explained VladSavinov.

In the future, the development of new technologies is expected to ensure the emergence of new types of polymers and improved ways of producing currently available biopolymers for various enduse applications. Future biopolymers will offer improved rates of biorenewability

and biodegradability, as this rate is an important factor in achieving market acceptance.

In terms of geographical development, Europe is the largest regional market for bioplastic packaging with a 31 percent share of the global bioplastic packaging consumption. It is now at the forefront of research and development work, but will account for less than 10 percent of bioplastic production capacity and a have a diminishing share of bioplastic packaging consumption by 2022. Most of the currently planned volume production facilities are being implemented in Thailand, India and China, and over threequarters of bioplastics will be produced in Asia by 2022.

In terms of end-use categories, nonfood is the largest area of application for bioplastic packaging in 2017, accounting for almost 46 percent of global consumption. This reflects significant bioplastics consumption for garbage bags and carry-out bags.

Food is the second largest end-use sector, followed by beverage bottles. Bioplastic beverage bottle consumption has grown dramatically since 2012, following the introduction of bio-derived PET for soft drinks bottles, and will account for almost 22 percent of bioplastics for packaging consumption in 2017.

Farmers need to be provided specialized training in food packaging

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epartment of Trade and Commerce Director, Tokong Pertin stated that farmers of agriculture and horticulture produce in Arunachal need specialized training in food packaging methods as it plays a vital role in increasing the food products’ shelf-life.

He was present at National Workshop on packaging of fresh and processed foods sponsored by the Ministry of Food processing industries (MOFPI). During the training, the participants were given product-wise training such as apple and kiwi fruit packaging so that they can increase its shelf life resulting in better income. He stressed the need for creating more awareness amongst the farmers and entrepreneurs of the state. Stating

that the workshop has been conducted especially for medium, small, and micro entrepreneurs of Arunachal, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Kolkata Deputy Director and Regional Head, Bidhan Das said that in Arunachal fruits like orange, apple, kiwi are abundant, which if processed can add value to the product and help the generate more income for the farmers. “Through the workshop farmers and entrepreneurs shall be apprised about food packaging, which plays a contributory role in growth of processed food market”, he said.

The workshop discussed various issues and contemporary subjects pertaining to the food packaging industry which include; concept of Food Packaging for

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

Fresh & Processed Food Products, Food Safety Act & FSSAI guidelines, low cost packaging technology, corrugated fiber boxes as transport materials for packaging etc.

Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata, Assistant Director, M Nataraj said that the institute, set up in 1966 by the Indian Packaging and Allied Industry working under the aegis of Ministry of Commerce, Government of India attempts to improve the standards of packaging needed for the promotion of exports and help create infrastructural facilities for overall packaging improvement in India through research and development problem solving consultancy, testing training and education.

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ITC ‘Master Chef’ spice up their food portfolio

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MCG major ITC is spicing up their food portfolio with master chefs from its hotels curating different blends of spices for a premium range to be sold under the ‘ITC Master Chef’ brand.

The company is pursuing to create world class brands by leveraging on enterprise strengths, is relying on spices sourced by its Agri Business division from different states, including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. ITC Foods Division Divisional Chief Executive Hemant Malik said that, “We are focusing

on blended spices through ITC Master Chef brand. This is one new segment on which we are working.”

He said “Master chefs from ITC Hotels have curated each spice blend. We are positioning it as a premium range considering the efforts taken to develop the blends.” The chefs decide on the ratios of condiments to get the right taste. A lot of effort has been put into developing the spice range with over 470 tests so that the product is compliant with not just Indian

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INTERPACK 4th -10th May 2017 Dusseldorf, Germany Website : www.interpack.com

INGREDIENTS & FLAVOURS 27th – 28th June 2017 Praga� Maidan, New Delhi, India Website: www.foodingredientsandflavours.com

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standards but also EU standards.

The company has launched ITC Master Chef super-safe spices in the capital. It is promoting the brand as “super safe spices” through its communication in print, outdoor, radio and digital platforms.

ITC’s idea behind the spice blends is to celebrate the local cuisine and bringing alive the flavors and taste of North India.

Malik said the ingredients are sourced by ITC’s Agri Business division from states, including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The company is relying on its integrated pest management programme under which it has worked with farmers to produce crops that are compliant with not just Indian standards but also EU standards.

ITC has set a target of achieve Rs 1 lakh crore revenue from its FMCG business by 2030, and wants to expand retail points of its luxury chocolate brand Fabelle and is targeting shop-in-shops. “Right now, they are sold in hotels only but very soon we are trying to take it outside, such as malls,” he said.

Malik said, “We have already started two units in West Bengal, one in Guwahati and by July or August this year our unit in Punjab should start and around same time one more unit in West Bengal would start.”

ITC is expanding their juice portfolio with an aim to garner around 20 per cent market share in five years in the packaged fruit juice segment.

The company is adding new flavours and focusing on local fruits. It is also boosting its sales network to meet the target. Malik said, “In the FMCG space, ITC Food is the largest contributor”.

Agro & Food Processing May 2017

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