Development and promotion of soybean food enterprises in India

Soybean Processing and Utilization (SPU)/Centre of Excellent on Soybean Processing and Utilization at the ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal has conducted 193 batches of soy based food Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDP) in which 3000 potential entrepreneurs from 28 states of India participated. Around 300 soybean processing enterprises have been established till date across the country for making different soy products such as soy milk, paneer (tofu), flours, snacks, curds, biscuits, kabab, chap, halwa, etc. The maximum units are located in Punjab followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. These entrepreneurs have provided employment to 1500 workers across the country with an estimated total monetary benefit of Rs. 90 crores per annum. It can be inferred that the soy food based training and entrepreneurship development programme organized by the ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal since 1995 has resulted in the establishment of 300 successful enterprises that are significantly contributing to the Nation’s economy as well as in combating protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) that exists in India.