DIT and UKIBC joint webinar on ‘Charting the India Food and Drink Market – A Post COVID Scenario’
By Shubhi Mishra
As a part of DIT’s UK-South Asia Virtual Roadshow 2020, the UKIBC in partnership with DIT held a webinar on 6th November 2020 to support UK food and drink businesses to understand the Indian market and hear about opportunities in the sector.
The webinar aimed to outline the industry’s regulatory landscape, key export opportunities, and the current and future impact of COVID-19 on the sector, and to provide a perfect opportunity to the participants to interact and capture tactical expertise from market experts on the dynamic Indian market.
Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI) meticulously presented insights on the commercial impact of COVID 19 on the sector, regulatory environment, key export opportunities for the UK food and drink businesses, current UK-India F&D trade relations, and guidelines on the market entry approach. Invest India focussed on the opportunities for the UK investors in India’s food processing sector namely dairy, fruits and vegetables, poultry and meat, fisheries, and cold chain infrastructure. Invest India also highlighted the GoI’s initiatives and incentives support given to the FDI investors.
Soon after, a panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Jevan Bhinder, First Secretary – Trade, DIT was initiated enabling UK businesses to have their questions answered by the panelists, viz impact on both trade and investment attributing to enhanced trade partnership, changing market dynamics related to the global pandemic, anticipated trade ties between the countries, regulatory and economic challenges, among others.
Minerva Global, a UK tree nuts trader and exporter, shared its successful India growth story and the rationale behind choosing India as an investment destination. Appreciating DIT and UKIBC for their support services, Minerva Global also captured the challenges faced during the national lockdown in India.
Panelists:
- Moderated by: Ms. Jevan Bhinder First Secretary – Trade, Department for International Trade (DIT)
- Mr. Amit Lohani, Founder and Director, Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI)
- Ms. Radhika Mehta Malik, Investment Specialist – Food Processing Sector, Invest India
- Mr. Kevin McCole, Managing Director, UK India Business Council (UKIBC)
- Ms. Shubhi Mishra, Head of Food & Drink Policy, Advocacy, and Trade Promotion, UK India
- Business Council (UKIBC)
- Ms. Ellie Osman, Managing Director, Minerva Global
- Ms. Ameeta Virk, Market Specialist, Department for International Trade (DIT)
UKIBC sees this as a great opportunity to further build upon the relationship with Invest India and FIFI and will continue to promote UK trade and investment opportunities in India to maximise its members and clients’ Indian prospects. The webinar also clarified any ambiguities from the viewpoint of UK exporters regarding the current impact of the pandemic and future possibilities in the post-pandemic world.
