Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is the Government of India's nodal ministry for the food-processing sector, set up in 1988. From its headquarters in New Delhi, it links agriculture to industry and consumers, a role that generates employment and adds value along the chain. It drafts policy and administers capital-subsidy and incentive schemes aimed at entrepreneurs, FPOs, SHGs and enterprises.

Its schemes include PMFME, a centrally sponsored programme offering a 35% credit-linked capital subsidy of up to ₹10 lakh per unit, seed capital for SHG members, and branding and marketing assistance. PLISFPI is a ₹10,900 crore Production Linked Incentive Scheme that encourages manufacture of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods, processed fruits and vegetables, marine products and mozzarella, along with innovative and organic SME products. PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana operates as an umbrella scheme financing mega food parks, cold chains, agro-processing clusters and food-testing laboratories.

Food-tech and processing startups receive grant-in-aid, capital subsidies and incubation support through designated centres and the NIFTEM institutes; the schemes are largely non-dilutive and credit-linked. Individual entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises, FPOs, cooperatives, SHGs and companies processing agricultural, horticultural, dairy, marine and allied produce may apply, though criteria differ by scheme. Food-processing, agritech and packaged-food founders looking for capital subsidy, infrastructure support or production-linked incentives can review MoFPI's open schemes at mofpi.gov.in.