Top food processing companies, including Amul, Britannia, Coca-Cola, Dabur, ITC, PepsiCo, Mars, and Mondelez, have voluntarily pledged to pass on benefits of recent GST rate cuts to consumers. The announcement came during a high-level interaction organized by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Thursday, September 11.
The roundtable, chaired by Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan, focused on the newly introduced Next-Generation GST Reforms, which simplify the tax structure into two slabs of 5% and 18%. The reforms aim to reduce complexity, correct inverted duty structures, and enhance ease of doing business. Key staples, dairy, bakery, and packaged food items now fall under the 5% or nil tax bracket, expected to improve affordability and strengthen liquidity across the sector.
In his address, Paswan emphasized the government’s commitment to promoting investment, innovation, and inclusive growth in food processing. He urged companies to ensure GST benefits reach the entire value chain, including farmers and MSMEs, while also formalizing the unorganized sector and enhancing product quality. “With honest intent and sincere commitment, let us perform with dedication and together realise the vision of Viksit Bharat,” he said.
A.P. Das Joshi, Secretary of MoFPI, highlighted the reforms’ role in rationalizing taxes and simplifying business operations. He stressed the importance of industry feedback for smooth implementation and encouraged enterprises to focus on innovation, technology adoption, and product diversification.
CEOs discussed opportunities in exports, emerging technologies, and sectoral growth while flagging areas requiring further government facilitation. The session concluded with a reaffirmation of strong government-industry collaboration to unlock the sector’s full potential.
MoFPI also announced that the 4th edition of World Food India will be held from September 25–28, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, providing a global platform for investment, innovation, and business collaborations in the food processing industry.
