• The Buyer-Seller Meet at the Grand Majestic Hotel in Kuwait showcased traditional and value-added products, including millets, innovations in food processing, and sustainable packaging.
• Total exports from India to Kuwait crossed $2.0 billion in FY 2023-24, with food and agriculture exports amounting to approximately $350 million
• India’s food processing industry is one of the largest in the world, estimated to reach $1,274 billion by 2027, up from $866 billion in 2022.
The Embassy of India in Kuwait hosted a series of trade promotion events from September 8-10, highlighting the growing cooperation between India and Kuwait in the field of food security.
A Buyer-Seller Meet (BSM) in the food and beverages (F&B) sector, organized in collaboration with the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), was successfully held on September 8 at the Grand Majestic Hotel in Kuwait. The event featured a delegation of ten prominent Indian F&B companies, each showcasing a diverse range of products.
In another collaborative effort, the embassy, in partnership with the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), organized a Buyer-Seller Meet focusing on food and agricultural products on September 9-10 at the KCCI Exhibition Hall.
The event featured a delegation of 30 leading Indian companies showcasing an extensive array of food and agricultural products. The expo included not only traditional offerings but also value-added products derived from millets, the latest innovations in food processing and sustainable packaging, organic farming, Indian spices, and frozen food items. This demonstrated the cutting-edge technologies of the Indian food and agro-processing industries and highlighted India’s growing influence in the global food industry.
His Excellency Dr. Adarsh Swaika, the Ambassador of India to Kuwait, formally inaugurated both events at the Grand Majestic Hotel and the KCCI Exhibition Hall, underscoring their significance for bilateral collaboration.
The inaugural event was graced by Mr. Emad Al Zaid, Assistant Director General of KCCI; Dr. Reem Alfulaij, Director General of the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN); representatives from the Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAFR); commercial banks; and press and electronic media.
The visiting delegations engaged in productive B2B meetings with leading Kuwaiti importers, hypermarkets, and manufacturing industries in the F&B sector based in Kuwait.
The Indian Business Professionals Council (IBPC), in collaboration with the Embassy of India, also organized a business networking session on September 9 at the Hotel Crown Plaza, Kuwait, providing Indian companies with the opportunity for additional B2B meetings.
India is a global leader in the production of spices, milk, and pulses, and the second-largest producer of tea, sugarcane, wheat, fruits, and vegetables.
India’s top exports globally include rice, sugar, fresh vegetables, marine products and seafoods, fresh fruits, spices, buffalo meat, and more.
Total exports from India to Kuwait crossed $2.0 billion in FY 2023-24, with food and agriculture exports amounting to approximately $350 million. The top food exports include basmati rice, unroasted coffee, frozen shrimp and prawns, sugar, boneless meat, cashew nuts, and onions.
India’s food processing industry is one of the largest in the world, estimated to reach $1,274 billion by 2027, up from $866 billion in 2022. The industry is primarily export-oriented, with key commodities including processed fruits and vegetables, ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) products, mozzarella cheese, processed marine products, edible oils, beverages, and dairy products.
The sector boasts more than 20 operational mega food parks, 371 cold chain projects, and 68 agro-processing clusters. India’s FDI in this sector for 2023-24 is estimated at $608 million.
