“Globalizing Tamil Nadu Food Processing Businesses”
With a production of about 1.2 million tons of food grains, nearly 1.0 million tons of oilseeds, 6.7 million tons of fruits and 6.0 million tons of vegetables, Tamil Nadu contributes substantially to the agricultural production of India. To add on further, the state produces about 15.0 million tons of sugarcane, 5.6 million tons of plantation crops and houses 1200 million poultry and 240 million livestock population. The state has about 24,000 SMEs and 1100 medium and large units in food processing sector and contributes to 7.2% of processed food outputs of India.
Tamil Nadu processes only about 2% of fruits and vegetables, 8% of marine produce, 35% of milk and 6% of poultry meat. The State Government envisages to substantially increase the processing and value addition levels and to reduce the post-harvest food losses. Therefore, the need for having a separate food processing and Agri export corporation in the State was greatly felt.
Tamil Nadu Food Processing and Agri Export Promotion Corporation (TNAPEx)
Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Announced in 2021-22, the creation of Tamil Nadu Food Processing and Agri Export Promotion Corporation (TNAPEx) to bring in overall reforms in the food processing and agricultural export sectors. It is a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of Companies Act, 2013. TNAPEx acts as an apex body for the promotion of Food Processing and Agri Export.
TNAPEx – Rendering Niche Services to Accelerate Food Processing MSME Business Transformation
Food processing essays a critical role in an agrarian economy like India; it’s all the more profound in states like Tamil Nadu which produces diverse food crops. Value wise, nationally, Tamil Nadu ranks 5th in export of agriculture and animal produce, and 6th in export of fisheries products. And the larger objective is to better these rankings. Tamil Nadu is in a vantage position to achieve the same, thanks to robust infrastructure like rail & road networks, airports, sea ports and more.
Vision :
To steer Tamil Nadu as the premier food processing hub of India by harnessing its production strength, deep industrial culture, skilled manpower, favourable agro-climatic conditions and excellent connectivity. To capitalize on the rich and diverse food production base of the State and to provide fillip to this sector.
Mission :
To propel Tamil Nadu's agricultural and food processing sectors towards global prominence by fostering innovation, sustainability, and market-driven strategies. Through strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and capacity building initiatives, TNAPEx aims to empower farmers, rural youth and women, agri-entrepreneurs, food business operators, MSME’s and stakeholders, while promoting value addition, quality excellence, and export competitiveness.
Our mission further is to drive inclusive growth, enhance food security, and maximize the economic potential of Tamil Nadu's rich agricultural resources, ultimately contributing to the state's prosperity and global leadership in agri-food exports.