The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Food Processing Industry was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries to strengthen India’s food processing sector, promote Indian brands globally, and create global food manufacturing champions. The scheme runs for six years from FY 2021–22 to FY 2026–27 with a total financial outlay of ₹10,900 crore.
Components of Scheme
The scheme has three key components:
- The first focuses on four major food product segments– Ready to Cook/Ready to Eat (RTC/RTE) foods, Processed Fruits & Vegetables, Marine Products, and Mozzarella Cheese.
- The second supports Innovative/Organic products of SMEs.
- The third provides support for branding and marketing abroad, incentivising in-store branding, shelf space renting, and marketing to build strong Indian global brands.
In line with the declaration of 2023 as International Year of Millets, the Ministry also incentivised the use of Millets in RTC/RTE products under PLI Scheme (PLISMBP) to promote value addition and increase millet usage in food products.
Participation & Coverage
- Total approved companies: 128, covering 274 units across the country
- MSME applicants supported: 68
- Contract manufacturing units supported: 40
- States covered: 22
Performance Highlights
- Investment: Against a committed investment of ₹7,722 crore, a cumulative investment of ₹9,207 crore has already been made- indicating companies have exceeded their initial commitments.
- Processing Capacity: Around 34 lakh metric tonnes per annum of processing and preservation capacity has been added under the scheme.
- Employment Generation: Stands at approximately 29 lakh persons (direct and indirect combined).
- Sales of PLI products: Grew at a CAGR of 10.58%, while export sales grew at a CAGR of 7.41% despite challenging macroeconomic conditions.