With major corporate making a beeline for retail, the food-processing ministry has set the ball rolling for penning a vision document for the benefit of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council.

Indian Processed food products are expected to make a huge amount of revenue for the retail sector and the document will list out the issues that are likely to act as hurdles in the sector's growth. Along with processed food products, the milk product market also needs special mention. At present, retail offers multiple options in the processed cheese segment.

In 2004, global milk production was around 612 million-tons, which was almost 0.5% higher than the previous year, and India added about 15 percent to this.

The ministry has requested leading business chambers for suggestions on the industries wish roll. Major demands are ten-year tax holiday, fiscal incentives for cold-chain setups, excise sops and a regulatory mechanism.

Ministry officials recently held meetings with various industrial houses planning retail and food processing forays.

The chambers will outset-brainstorming sessions, with a council organized by CII on October 10. Similarly, FICCI is functioning on outlining a retail advisory group that will be made up of Chief Executive Officers of all the food retail companies available. This group will mainly focus on the policy and operational issues relating to food processing.

In the year of 2000, the turnover for Indian food industry was Rs 140,000 crore. Although India is one of the largest produces of vegetables and fruits, Indian food processing level is predicted to be approximately 2 percent. On the contrary, Malaysia has attained 80 percent processing level.

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