India Eyes Doubling Of $53 Billion Agri Exports With EU Trade Pact At Anuga Mumbai

Mumbai: India's ambition to move beyond being a primary producer and emerge as a high-value global food processing powerhouse dominated conversations at a major trade show in Mumbai. The target to double agri-food exports beyond the present benchmark of US$53 billion through greater value addition and the strategic market access unlocked by the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. 

Also, the growing relevance of plant-based proteins, advanced processing technologies and bilateral partnerships for global food security was underlined on the sidelines of Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026, organised by Koelnmesse.

The co-located exhibitions are underway at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai and will run from September 29 to October 1, 2026. With more than 1,100 exhibitors from 43 countries and an expected footfall of over 45,000 trade visitors, the platform covers the entire food value chain from ingredients and finished foods to processing, packaging, automation and supply chain logistics.

Farm-To-Factory Showcase With EU As Official Partner

The show has put the spotlight on the breadth of India's evolving food and beverage ecosystem across segments such as Agrifoods, Dairy, Drinks & Hot Beverages, Fine Foods, Food Service, Organic and Sweets & Snacks, alongside cutting-edge solutions for food processing, packaging, automation and allied applications. Supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and featuring the European Union as the Official Partner Region, the event acts as an end-to-end marketplace linking Indian enterprises with global buyers, technology suppliers and investors.

It witnessed a grand inauguration in the presence of Martina Englhardt-Kopf, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, Germany; Silvio Erkens, Minister for Food Security, Fisheries & Horticulture, Netherlands; Petros Sourmelis, Minister Counsellor and Head of the Trade and Economic Affairs Section, Delegation of the European Union to India; Devesh Deval, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, and Milind Dixit, Managing Director, India & SAARC Region, Koelnmesse Pvt. Ltd.

German Vice Minister Englhardt-Kopf said that Anuga Select India offers an important platform to deepen cooperation between India, Germany and Europe across food, agriculture and technology. Noting that geopolitical tensions, the pandemic and supply chain disruptions have underlined the need for resilience and food security, she stated that strong regional value chains must go hand in hand with stable, transparent and rules-based international trade. She further added that the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement is an economically important milestone, creating a market of around two billion people and liberalising trade covering 99.3% of EU and 96.6% of India's trade value. 

Silvio Erkens asserted that India and the Netherlands are strong and long-standing partners in agriculture and food, with important scope to collaborate as feeding a growing global population with nutritious, high-quality food becomes more challenging. He noted that while India is an agricultural powerhouse, the Netherlands, with around 18 million inhabitants, is the world's second-largest food exporter. He pointed to decades of cooperation 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. 

Petros Sourmelis emphasised that the recently concluded EU-India Free Trade Agreement will create new opportunities through improved market access and wider collaboration, with the pact expected to be signed before the end of 2026 and enter into force around mid-2027. 

Devesh Deval stated that 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 urbanisation. He said that 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. He stressed that 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. 

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Senior Consultant Dr Tarun Bajaj said that 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 leading products, while processed food exports are steadily increasing. He stressed that this growth reflects development of infrastructure at macro and micro levels supported by conducive government policies and strong performance by farmers. 

Milind Dixit stated that 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. He noted that 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.

The scale of Anuga Select India and Anuga FoodTec India 2026 is reflected in country pavilions, government bodies, trade organisations 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. 

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