This book provides different facets of India's agro and food processing
industry in both organised and unorganised segments. It brings forth the
topical issues having potential to accelerate the pace of growth in its
employment, investment and productivity and strive for improving the
global competitiveness. Using advanced quantitative techniques, it
brings new evidences on inter-sectoral (agriculture-industry-services)
employment and production linkages, contractual arrangements through
Farmer Producer Companies, and subcontracting in the processed food
sector. It also throws light on India's comparative advantage in export
of primary and processed food products.
With rising per capita income, urbanisation, and changing food habits of
people, India is increasingly striving to improve productivity and
competitiveness in agriculture and manufacturing. A concerted policy
focus to accelerate private investment in food processing, largely
viewed as a sunrise industry, is expected to contribute to large scale
job creation and external trade not only in the manufacturing but also
in the agricultural sector. Keeping this in mind, considerable insights
are featured in the book at the industry and firm levels due to a
significant bearing of technological, tariffs and non-tariff barriers
and labour regulations on their trade intensity, employment and
efficiency. Containing perspectives from the top agriculture and
industry economists in the country, the book will be very useful to
researchers, academicians, trade analysts and policy makers.
