New body takes charge of Food Processing Federation

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Industries Federation (APFPIF), an affiliate of the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers), held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, where the newly elected office-bearers formally assumed charge.

Potluri Bhaskara Rao, founder of APFPIF, will continue as honorary chairman. The newly elected team includes Velagapudi Sambasiva Rao as president, Dr. Prasad as vice-president, Vamsi Vetcha as general secretary, Dr. Challa Sekhar Reddy as treasurer, and P Ram Mohan as joint secretary.

The APFPIF leadership reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with AP Chambers to strengthen the food processing ecosystem across Andhra Pradesh. The collaboration will focus on policy advocacy, addressing industry challenges, and attracting new investments in the food processing sector—identified as a key driver of value addition and employment generation in the state.

During the meeting, Chiranjeevi Choudhary, Principal Secretary (Food Processing), and Sekhar Babu, CEO of the AP Food Processing Society, outlined the AP Food Processing Policy 2024–29 and highlighted emerging investment opportunities across the value chain. They also announced the formation of a stakeholder consultative committee to facilitate regular engagement between government and industry representatives for faster resolution of policy and operational issues.

“The food processing sector is one of Andhra Pradesh’s strongest growth engines. The government is committed to enabling investments and partnerships that drive inclusive growth,” said Principal Secretary Chiranjeevi Choudhary.

Speaking on the occasion, Velagapudi Sambasiva Rao expressed gratitude to AP Chambers and the government for their continued support. “Our focus will be on encouraging private investment, technology adoption, and market linkages for both processors and farmers,” he said. Potluri Bhaskara Rao said, “AP Chambers and APFPIF will work together as an active bridge between industry and government to position Andhra Pradesh as a national leader in the food processing value chain.”