India
 
NEW DELHI, INDIA – Cargill on Nov. 6 announced it is investing $240 million in India over the next five years. The new investments will add to the food safety and economic development of the country and benefit the food processing and agriculture industries, Cargill said.

The announcement was made at the World Food India Conference by Peter Van Deursen, chief executive officer (CEO), Cargill Asia Pacific, at a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India Ministry of Food Processing Industries in the presence of Honorable Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal.


The added investment will be in Cargill’s core businesses, including edible oil, cocoa and chocolates, starches and sweeteners and animal nutrition in India. In addition, it will provide employment to 1,300 people and help farmers in the country.

Peter Van Deursen CEO of Cargill Asia Pacific
Peter Van Deursen, CEO, Cargill Asia Pacific
“India is an important market for us and this increased investment demonstrates our commitment to the country and the development of its agriculture and food processing industry,” Van Deursen said. “With the growing population and changing consumer trends, Cargill is committed to nourishing the people of India in a safe, sustainable and responsible manner. The Ministry for Food Processing Industries is to be complimented for organizing an event the scale of World Food India as it lets us collaborate with partners in the public and private sectors to deliver to our customers what consumers want.”

Cargill began its food nourishment, safety dedicationin April along with General Mills, Patanjali and Hindustan Unilever by agreeing to begin fortifying their wheat flour in India, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The FSSAI said the companies already have begun the process of fortifying wheat flour, with their products, including Aashirwaad, Pillsbury, Annapurna, Patanjali and Nature Fresh, expected to be available in different regions by July-August, with full scale up by December.

 
Last year, Cargill inaugurated its first wet corn milling plant in India; set up with an investment of $100 million. The company also inaugurated a new dairy feed mill in Bathinda, Punjab. Cargill also opened its largest business services center in Bengaluru in 2015 employing around 2,000 people.

In India, Cargill started operations in 1987. It has businesses in refined oils, food ingredients, grain and oilseeds, cotton, animal nutrition, industrial specialties and trade structured finance. Cargill in India offers consumer brands of edible oils such as Nature Fresh, Gemini, Sweekar, Leonardo Olive Oil, Rath and Sunflower brand of hydrogenated fats. It also markets wheat flour under the Nature Fresh brand name.
 
The animal nutrition business of Cargill provides animal feed and premix and nutrition for aqua, dairy and poultry. It markets animal feed and premix under the brands such as Provimi, Purina, Citura and Cargill. Cargill’s grains and oilseeds crush business originates grains and oilseeds at 200 storage locations. Overall the company employs more than 3,500 employees working across offices and plants and a network of offices, warehouses and depots.