The seventh edition of International FoodTec India 2012, an international packaging & food processing technology, equipment & supplies show, which is underway at the Bombay Exhibition Centre here has registered phenomenal rise in visitors’ footfalls this year. The show will wind up on September 13, 2012.
Over 100 national & international exhibitors and thousands of visitors registered on the first two days of the event. The three-day trade fair which is popularly known as a satellite exhibition of “Anuga” (Germany) is organised by Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd.
Most of the visitors’ footfalls have been recorded from semi-urban, tier I & II cities. Another interesting aspect was the fact that huge numbers of non-English speaking small- & medium-scale manufacturers / processors seemed interested in the latest F&B equipment. “I am a biscuit manufacturer from Gujarat. Today, I am here as a potential buyer of latest machines or equipment for biscuit filling, packaging, wrapping and coding,” a visitor told FnB News in his regional language.
“Like me, every Indian processor will look for three things before he or she makes a buy. Low maintenance cost, affordability and efficiency. We as local small- or medium-scale manufacturers never entertain sophisticated, fully automated machines,” he added.
As for foreign exhibitors, he quipped, “Tell them not to bring small or compacted machines. India is the seventh largest country in the world by size and here we have plenty of places for manufacturing or setting up mammoth size machines.”
Many Indian F&B technology providers like Videojet, Unique Equipments and Mech-Air Industries also displayed their range of state-of-the-art mechanism.
“India is the largest importer of F&B, pharmaceuticals processing and packaging technologies. German engineering is world famous and we see plethora of opportunities here in India. The fantastic rise in economic growth & soaring GDP (gross domestic product) has proved to be magnets for foreign players. Soon, we will tie up with some Indian business developer for our Indian representation. We aim to tap into the Indian organised market for our product,” a German delegate said on condition of anonymity.
National Seminar on Cheese
The Indian Dairy Association (western zone), jointly with Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd has organised a two-day conclave on “Cheese – The Future Milk Product of India” parallel to the trade fair.
The seminar started with remembering late Dr Verghese Kurien, father of white revolution in India. Speaking on “Cheese History & Different Types of Cheese” around the world, S. S Gokulakrishnan, manager, QA, Amul, said that India did not manufacture all kinds of cheese although organised retailing is helping to bring globally renowned cheese types in the Indian market.
“Roquefort, cheddar (the UK), Ricotta (Italy), Gouda (Netherlands), Emmental (Switzerland), Cottage Cheese & Monterey Jack (the US), Mozzarella which is been widely used in pizza making and others are the most popular types of cheese,” Gokulakrishnan said.
Further, he discussed latest technologies for cheese manufacturing across the world.
The seminar registered over 50 national & international delegates and encompassed sessions on global trends in the cheese market, quality aspects in cheese making, reduction of supply chain risk for dairy products and other cheese & dairy related ongoing topics.
