New Delhi, February 26 Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan said on Thursday that social media influencers are spreading a "false narrative" that processed food is harmful, and called for a collective effort to counter it, warning that the misinformation was impeding the sector's growth.
Addressing the inaugural session of ANVESH-2026, a three-day international conference organized by NIFTEM-K, Paswan said the perception that "processed food means not good" was being actively promoted online.
"We are facing this challenge not only in our country, but also globally—the kind of false narrative spread by influencers about processed food. The narrative that 'processed food means not good' is being promoted. I don't know the intention behind it, but it is being done," he said.
"This is impacting the sector, and it will increase further. We need to counter this narrative," he added.
The minister said that ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products have become integral to modern lifestyles with the rise of nuclear families and working couples.
"Earlier, we used to prepare chutney and sauces at home, but we need them readily prepared. If a false narrative is set, we cannot see the kind of growth that we envision for the sector," he said.
Paswan said his ministry has constituted a committee on misleading advertisements, whose second meeting recently discussed ways to counter such messaging.
He urged industry leaders to take ownership of the issue, suggesting that if each leader onboarded "one or two influencers," the narrative could be corrected at scale.
"If we start a national campaign on this, we can deal with this challenge," he said.
On trade, Paswan said that India has free trade agreements with over 127 countries and dismissed concerns that concessions were being made in ongoing negotiations, saying that deals were being signed "on our terms and conditions" with farmer interests protected.
He called on all stakeholders to share responsibility for the sector's growth rather than leaving it to the government alone.
"The government's job is to make the policies, and we are ready to do whatever it needs. I am that bridge. Come, tell me the challenges and bottlenecks. I will clear them out," he said.
Food Processing Industries Secretary Avinash Joshi, World Food Prize 2021 winner Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, former AICTE chairman T G Sitharam, and NIFTEM-K Director Harinder Singh Oberoi were present at the event.