Food Sector Employs Over 10 Lakh People, Says Official At FTCCI Food Packaging Summit

Hyderabad, July 31, 2025 (Maxim News): The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FTCCI) hosted a full-day summit on “Food Packaging and Preservation Technologies” at the Surana Auditorium, Federation House, Hyderabad, highlighting the critical role of innovation in food safety, sustainability, and employment generation.

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Delivering the keynote address, Rajkumar Ohatkar, Additional Director of Industries, Government of Telangana, emphasized the food sector’s growing economic impact, noting that it currently employs over 10 lakh people in the state.

“The MSME segment alone provides over 9.23 lakh jobs across 62,000 small and 25,000 medium enterprises in Telangana,” Ohatkar stated, underscoring the sector’s vast reach and potential. He also outlined various government initiatives aimed at strengthening food processing infrastructure, innovation, and market linkages.

India’s Food Sector Poised for Massive Growth

In his welcome remarks, K. K. Maheshwari, Senior Vice President of FTCCI, highlighted the massive scale of the national food processing industry.

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“India’s food processing sector is among the largest globally, with aspirations to cross $535 billion by 2025–26. Advanced packaging and preservation technologies are essential to achieving this target,” he said.

S. Chandra Mohan, Chairman of FTCCI’s Agro & Food Processing Committee, added that packaging has evolved from being a simple container to a strategic tool for sustainability, traceability, and consumer confidence.

Expert Insights on Emerging Trends & Technologies

The summit brought together thought leaders and industry experts to discuss emerging trends, regulatory standards, and cutting-edge technologies in the food packaging and preservation space. Key sessions included:

• Chakravarthi AVPS, Global Ambassador, World Packaging Organisation, noted that Telangana processes 25% of its agricultural input, enhancing value through 12.5% food processing.
• Sri N. Nataraj, Deputy Director, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Hyderabad, presented on “Smart, Safe & Sustainable – Packaging & Labelling” and the importance of compliance and eco-friendly materials.
• Sri K. Srinivasulu, Senior Technical Officer, CSIR–CFTRI, Hyderabad, explored advanced food preservation methods such as Retort and IQF (Individual Quick Freezing).
• Smt. Chandanasree, Assistant Director, FSSAI, elaborated on regulatory frameworks, stressing the importance of adhering to packaging compliance and food safety standards.

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• Smt. Bithi Roy, Head – Packaging Development, Ravi Foods Pvt. Ltd., shared a real-world industry case study on innovative packaging development.
• Sri Vijayakumar Gupta Kopuri, Founder & CEO, LEDchip Indus Pvt. Ltd., spoke about new technologies in food disinfection and preservation, with a focus on sustainability and efficiency.

Industry Participation & Key Takeaways

The summit saw the enthusiastic participation of around 100 delegates from diverse segments of the food processing, packaging, and MSME sectors, who engaged in dialogue on future trends and actionable strategies.

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With Telangana emerging as a key hub for food processing in India, experts at the summit reiterated the importance of technological innovation, policy support, and sustainable practices to ensure long-term industry growth.

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