What is the overall aim of SAMPADA in modernizing the food processing sector?

• A. To privatize all food processing units
• B. To increase production only in a few crops
• C. To modernize the food processing sector, reduce wastage, promote value addition, and develop integrated agro-processing infrastructure
• D. To replace local markets with imports

Answer: (C)

The aim is to create a modern, integrated ecosystem for food processing that cuts waste and adds value along the entire chain. SAMPADA is designed to modernize the sector by promoting value addition and building integrated agro-processing infrastructure, such as processing clusters and Mega Food Parks, so that farm produce can be processed efficiently, stored longer, and moved more smoothly from farms to markets or exports. This holistic approach brings together producers, processors, and support infrastructure to boost investment, employment, and export potential. The other options don’t fit because they focus on privatizing everything, limiting growth to a few crops, or replacing local markets with imports, none of which align with the scheme’s broad, infrastructure‑driven modernization goal.