Surat gears up to be the next food city with “Food and Agritech 2024” exhibition

Surat : The three-day long “Food and Agritech 2024” exhibition, organized by the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), was inaugurated at the Surat International Exhibition Centre (SIECC) at Sarsana, Surat on Saturday.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Balwant Patel, Chairman of The Surat District Co-operative Bank Limited, in the presence of dignitaries such as Sanjay Kumar, Regional Director of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Bhavesh Radadia, Director of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Manahar Sanspara, Chairman and Managing Director of Euro India Fresh Foods, and Pradip Agarwal, President of Bardoli Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ramesh Vaghasia, SGCCI president, said that the share of agriculture sector in India’s economy is 15 percent, which was 35 percent in the year 1990-91. He also highlighted that the annual growth rate of the agriculture sector in India is around 4 percent per annum, while the global average is minus 4 percent.

Despite being the world’s largest producer of many agricultural products such as bananas, chickpeas, ginger, lemons, and mangoes, India’s yield per hectare is much lower than the world average. This is due to a number of factors, including inadequate irrigation, poor soil health, and lack of access to modern technologies.

However, there are also a number of opportunities for growth in the Indian agriculture sector. The government is investing heavily in agricultural infrastructure and technology, and there is a growing demand for organic and healthy food products.

Sanjay Kumar, Regional Director of NCDC, said that the South Gujarat region in Gujarat is rich in agriculture and has the potential to play a major role in meeting the growing demand for food in India. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government, private sector, and farmers to achieve sustainable agriculture growth.

Surat: the future food city of India?

Manahar Sanspara, Chairman and Managing Director of Euro India Foods, believes that Surat has the potential to become the next food city of India. He cited the city’s strong industrial base, its proximity to major ports, and its growing population as factors that will contribute to its growth in the food sector.