FICCI Food 360° Awards

Hon’ble Speaker Shri Nadendla Manohar presents FICCI’s FOOD 3600 Awards of excellence to outstanding entrepreneurs!

Agriculture desperately needs to get its share of new technology and innovation to move forward, says Nadendla Manohar

HYDERABAD, November 6th, 2012: FICCI FOOD 3600 Awards were presented to successful entrepreneurs by the Hon’ble Speaker Shri Nadendla Manohar in recognition of excellence at the ongoing FICCI’s FOOD 3600 - International Conference-cum-Exhibition on Agribusiness and Food, at Taj Krishna. Mr J. A. Chowdhary, Chairman, organizing committee, Food 3600; Mr. Sivakumar S, Programme Chair & CEO, ITC Agro business; were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Nadendla Manohar said FICCI has been doing a wonderful job by organising FOOD 3600 on an annual basis. Technology and innovation have transformed several sectors and Agriculture also desperately needs to get its share of new technology and innovation to move forward. We have been increasing our agriculture output year after year, however been falling behind in using technology. Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh has with foresight invited FDI and agriculture can tremendously benefit from this by way of investments into newer technology and innovations. The best practices in agriculture being discussed here need to reach the farming community for the country to benefit. Also our farmers need to keep their eyes & ears open to such practices and adopt them. He advised farmers to seriously look at organic farming and pointed out that Sikkim is shortly going to declare itself as the world’s first organic farming state and farmers in Kerala too have been focussing on organic farming. He informed the audience about the various initiatives the Government of Andhra Pradesh has been taking proactively to benefit the agriculture sector, including interest free loans, subsidy for mechanisation of farming and encouraging women farmers for the first time in the country.

Mr. I Y R Krishna Rao, Special Chief Secretary, Agri-Marketing, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, wanted the FOOD 360 organisers to pass on the material from the deliberations at the conference, which he said can be circulated to farmers in the state. Mr Kapil Mehan, Managing Director, Coromandel International Ltd., speaking on the occasion said, the food security bill likely to be passed by the parliament, will make right to food a basic right, this will enhance the demand for agriculture produce by manifold. In such a scenario consumer can get what he wants at a price he desires and the farmers will get the price they deserve for their produce. The biggest challenge for agriculture today is modernization and reforms being undertaken should include agriculture sector as well. Mr J. A. Chowdhary, Chairman, organizing committee, Food 3600, in his welcome address said, the next best opportunity for entrepreneurs is in the food processing industry. We have introduced several innovative concepts in this year’s conference like CEO Round table with forty CEOs from Agriculture and Food processing industries deliberating on important aspects. We are also hosting the information and presentations of all the experts and panelists at the FOOD 360, on the website. Telugu translations of important deliberations will also be hosted on the website for the benefit of farmers, he said. Considering the demand from farmer delegates for deliberations in Telugu, he promised to host a half a day FOOD 360 Rythu Sadasu and present important proceeding of the conference in Telugu, during the next year’s conference.


The award winners in the various categories are:

Best Innovation Company in SME Category award to Abhay Cotex, Shri Ashish OM Prakashji Mantri

Best Marketing Company in SME Category Award to Sivashakri Group of Companies; Mr. M. Srinivas Rao, Managing Director, received.

Best R&D Company in SME Category Award to Sami Labs Limited; Mr. Mohd. Majid received.

Best ICT Company in Agri sector Start up Category Award to Vasudhaika Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Ms. Saraswathi Rajasekhar & Mr. Raj Ballabhaneni received.

Best ICT Company in Agri Sector-SME Category Award to Express Advisory Services Pvt Ltd., Shri Angshujyoti Das received.

Best Novel Farming Technology in Food & Agri Sector - NGO Category to NAANDI Foundation, Ms. Anupama.

The two-day Conclave, inaugurated by HE Shri ESL Narsimhan, Hon’ble Governor of Andhra Pradesh showcased the huge potential for developing the Agribusiness / food processing industry in south India with a view to forging global linkages.