With demand for processed foods increasing, the processing industry would grow at a much faster rate than the agriculture sector, a top official in the union agriculture ministry said today.
Since the purchasing power of Indian population were on the increase and with increasing demand for processed foods, including vegetables and fruits, farmers and industry should meet requirements of the growing processing industry, T. Nandakumar, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, said, while inaugurating a four-day Agri-Intex-2009, here.
The country has to face three major challenges to meet the food needs of growing population, such as production in limited land of 142 million hectares, water shortage and also technologies, changing from time to time, he added.
Stating that the farmers have to be taught to reduce the utilisation of water and to produce more, Mr. Nandakumar also said, in the present scenario of climate change and global warming, it was necessary to bring new irrigation technologies as rainfall across the globe was reporting below average.
Another major problem being faced by agriculture sector was shortage of labour and also its expense, adding that industry should come forward to design and develop machineries, which were affordable and more efficient.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University vice-chancellor, Dr P. Murugesa Bhoopathi, in his address said, farmers should shift from conventional farming to mechanised farming by availing government subsidy.
