Industry bats for separate branding of biofortified foods

With the global biofortification market expected to reach $217.21 million by 2030 from the current $100.84 million (in 2022), the government is seeking the assistance of the private sector to popularize access to nutrient-rich crops. The industry wants a separate brand for biofortified foods, similar to what has been done for “organic” products.

There is a need for UAC, organized by the Chamber of Industry, FICCI, in New Delhi, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, on Wednesday, told a conference on ‘Strengthening Diets for Nutrient-rich Crops’. “It is companies and industry that can transform nutrient-dense crops into more palatable ready-to-eat foods in line with the evolving global taste,” said Dwivedi.

She said the immunization process is very old. She said that biofortification is one way in which the immunization is not only after harvest, but even before harvest.

Siraj Hussain, the former Minister of Agriculture, said that once biofortification is successful, there may be no need for external fortification of wheat and rice (which is currently being implemented under a government scheme and is limited only to grains distributed through ration stores and mid-day meals) because biofortification will be a natural process.

A report titled “Biofortification – A Pathway to Improving Nutritional Outcomes in India”, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, was released during the event.

According to the report, the market driver for sustainable growth is critical and can be achieved through solutions such as farm-to-farm purchasing, increased consumer awareness, and proper labeling and packaging. He also said that the supply drive (increasing production of biofortified foods) can be strengthened by improving farmers’ acceptance and awareness, developing a strong value chain and brand differentiator (through a logo) to label biofortified foods.

In addition to health, there is an economic and environmental case for nutrient-rich crops. “We have to talk about a holistic approach to nutrient-rich crops,” said Benjani Mkampola, chair of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) group. The government should ensure that biofortification is included in the national nutrition agenda as a path to combating micronutrient malnutrition and that adequate resources are provided to research institutions to drive further innovation in this area. Public and private actors must work to mainstream biofortified traits across their product lines and promote nutrient-rich seeds through marketing and promotional techniques.