MUMBAI, 30 SEPTEMBER, 2026 | GPN, SACHIN MURDESHWAR: Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026 organized by Koelnmesse are underway at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, running from 29 September to 1 October, 2026. Featuring over 1,100 exhibitors from 43 countries and anticipating more than 45,000 trade visitors, the platform spans the entire food value chain from ingredients and finished foods to processing, packaging, automation, and supply chain logistics.The exhibition showcased the breadth of India’s evolving food and beverage ecosystem across categories including agrifoods, dairy, drinks & hot beverages, fine foods, food service, organic, and sweets & snacks, alongside advanced technologies and solutions spanning food processing, packaging, automation and related applications As told to our Newsman Sachin Murdeshwar and our news reporter Babita Prabhakar Murdeshwar the Exhibition is supported by the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) and featuring the European Union as the Official Partner Region, the event provides an end-to-end marketplace connecting Indian enterprises with global buyers, technology providers, and investors.

The event was inaugurated in the presence of Martina Englhardt-Kopf, parliamentary state secretary, federal ministry of agriculture, food & regional identity, Germany, and Silvio Erkens, state secretary for agriculture, fisheries, food security & nature, Netherlands; Devesh Deval, joint secretary, ministry of food processing industries, government of India alongside, Sameer Mithia, group director – Koelnmesse and Milind Dixit, managing director – India & SAARC Region, Koelnmesse.

Devesh Deval said India’s food market is estimated at US$ 550-600 billion and has been growing at a healthy 6-7% CAGR, supported by economic growth and urbanization. Food processing is strategically important as it creates greater value for farmers, attracts investment and is the second-highest employment creator in manufacturing, accounting for nearly 8% of gross value added in manufacturing.
“The government’s focus is to increase the level of processing across all 16 broad sub-sectors and ensure greater value reaches farmers. Cereals, meat, fruits and vegetables and dairy remain key segments, with India being the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables and the largest producer of milk. Fisheries, marine products and animal husbandry also receive dedicated policy attention, while healthier and plant-based foods are emerging areas of innovation.

Protein is particularly relevant given India’s large vegetarian population and the need to meet growing protein requirements. At NIFTEM, Kundli, the Ministry is setting up a Centre of Excellence on pea protein in collaboration with the Canadian side to develop protein extracts and isolates from peas. Plant-based protein is expected to be an important area of growth. India’s strong agricultural base and startup ecosystem, with more than 200,000 startups, provide significant opportunities for food manufacturing, processing and innovation. With government programs and incentives supporting startups, the focus is now on effective implementation and leveraging these strengths to build a stronger food processing ecosystem,” Deval said.

Martina Englhardt-Kopf said Anuga Select India provides an important platform for strengthening cooperation between India, Germany and Europe across food, agriculture and technology. Addressing our news reporter Babita Prabhakar Murdeshwar he said, “At a time when geopolitical tensions, the pandemic and disruptions to global supply chains have highlighted the importance of resilience and food security, EU Free Trade Agreement is therefore an economically significant milestone, creating a market of around two billion people and liberalizing trade covering 99.3% of EU and 96.6% of India’s trade value.

Germany and India are also marking 75 years of diplomatic relations this year, underscoring a long-standing partnership. The new agreement creates opportunities for German processed and premium food products, while India stands to benefit from greater access for value-generating agricultural products such as fishery products, tea, coffee and spices. At the same time, innovation, sustainable processing and packaging and new technologies will be essential to building a forward-looking and resilient food sector. Anuga Select India, with the participation of the EU as its first official partner region and Germany’s first participation through the Federal Ministry with 12 enterprises, provides a valuable platform to turn these opportunities into stronger business partnerships.”

Silvio Erkens said India and the Netherlands are strong and long-standing partners in agriculture and food, with significant opportunities to collaborate as feeding a growing global population with nutritious, high-quality food becomes more challenging. “India is an agricultural powerhouse, while the Netherlands, with around 18 million inhabitants, is the world’s second-largest food exporter. Our cooperation spans decades through a joint agricultural working group and Indo-Dutch Centres of Excellence across India, further strengthened by the strategic partnership announced by the two Prime Ministers in May.

The sector stands at the crossroads of opportunity and responsibility, with climate change, geopolitical instability and energy shortages creating new challenges for food production, trade and processing. This makes international partnerships, innovation and business collaboration essential. Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec provide an important platform for Indian and Dutch companies to build partnerships and develop solutions for food safety, reducing food loss and waste and creating more resilient food systems.”

Petros Sourmelis said the recently concluded EU-India Free Trade Agreement will create new opportunities through improved market access and wider collaboration, with the agreement expected to be signed before the end of 2026 and enter into force around mid-2027. “Anuga Select India provides the right platform to turn this potential into practical partnerships across the food value chain. European food products are recognized for their safety, authenticity, quality and sustainability, backed by strong traceability and production standards. Together, the FTA and platforms such as Anuga can help build stronger, diversified and resilient EU-India food value chains.”

Tarun Bajaj, senior consultant, Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), said, “India exported US$ 53 billion worth of agricultural and processed food products in 2025-26, placing the country among the top 10 exporters globally. Despite geopolitical challenges, exports continue to grow, with rice, meat, marine products, coffee and tea among the leading products, while processed food exports are steadily increasing. This growth reflects the development of infrastructure at both the macro and micro levels, supported by conducive government policies and strong performance by farmers. Today, value-added processed products account for nearly 30% of our total agricultural and processed food exports, and this share is rising. Over the next five years, our aim is to double exports while significantly increasing the share of value-added products, as greater processing within the country can drive employment, improve value realization and strengthen the overall food processing ecosystem.”

Milind Dixit said India’s food processing industry is entering an important phase of expansion, driven by rising domestic consumption, greater value addition, technology adoption and stronger integration with global markets. “The sector has already reached around US$382 billion in FY2025 and is projected to approach US$689 billion by FY2034, while processed food now accounts for more than 20% of India’s agricultural exports.”

Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026 is reflected in the participation of country pavilions, government bodies, trade organizations and companies from markets across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. The co-located events featured international participation from the European Union, China, Brazil, Germany, Thailand, South Korea, Belgium, the Philippines, Georgia, Turkey, Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Poland and other markets, alongside major Indian institutions and industry bodies.

The international dimension of the exhibitions is further reinforced by the presence of the European Union as the Official Partner Region of Anuga Select India 2026, alongside international country pavilions and trade delegations. The participation of government agencies, export promotion organizations, trade associations and industry bodies provides a platform for businesses to explore new sourcing markets, strengthen export linkages and build international partnerships.

The exhibitor and pavilion mix includes organizations such as Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), Directorate of Food Processing, Government of Meghalaya, Spice Board of India, National Turmeric Board, Coffee Board of India, Coconut Development Board, Council of Indian Food Trade (CIFT), Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Plant Based Food Industry Association (PBFIA) and international trade organizations from participating countries.

ALSO READ: