Fireside Chat: Future outlook for India’s food & agri businesses

The last three years have seen a decent amount of traction in the food and agri sector with private equity investments in companies like Kohinoor Foods, Bush Foods, Godrej Agrovet, Parag Dairy and even logistics companies like Staragri Warehousing and Collateral Management Ltd. There have also been sector-specific funds like Rabo Equity Advisors and SEAF Partners. Still, the sector faces a lot of challenges that prevent it from growing at the pace it should. In a candid discussion moderated by Girish Nadkarni, partner, IDFC Private Equity, industry veterans from various sectors within food and agri debate the growing need for food processing in our country, the opportunities in the sector if you have to set up a business and the sweet spots like dairy and wheat/rice/spices. The panellists discuss how the agri sector may grow in the next decade, keeping obstacles raised by banks and the government in mind.