The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K), an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Massey University, New Zealand on July 2, 2026. The agreement aims to strengthen academic and research collaboration in food technology, food processing, innovation, and higher education between the two institutions. Senior officials from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, including Secretary A.P. Das Joshi and Joint Secretary Devesh Deval, were present at the signing ceremony.
What Is NIFTEM-K?
The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K) is the premier institution in India dedicated exclusively to education, research, and entrepreneurship in the food processing sector. It was established in 2012 by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) as a Deemed to be University under the De Novo category. In 2021, the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Act, 2021 was passed by Parliament, elevating NIFTEM-K to the status of an Institute of National Importance (INI).
Located in Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana, the institute is spread over 100 acres and was set up with an initial investment of about Rs 500 crore. NIFTEM-K offers B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhD programmes that blend food technology with management training, preparing techno-managers for the food industry.
The institute has developed several notable innovations, including SARTHI (Solar Assisted Reefer Transportation with Hybrid Controls and Intelligence), a smart transportation system that uses IoT sensors and solar power to reduce post-harvest losses in perishable food. Its other breakthroughs include the development of 100 per cent biodegradable film without plasticizers and rapid detection kits that use nanosensors to identify pesticides in tea and harmful compounds like acrylamides and aflatoxins. At Vigyan TECH 2026, NIFTEM-K contributed 23 cutting-edge technologies to the national compendium Vigyan Sangraha out of 293 total technologies from across the country.
About Massey University
Massey University (Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa) is a public research university in New Zealand with its main campus in Palmerston North and additional campuses in Auckland and Wellington. It began as the Massey Agricultural College in 1927 and was granted full university status on January 1, 1964, under the Massey University of Manawatu Act 1963.
Massey is New Zealand’s largest residential university with over 26,000 students. It is particularly renowned for its strength in food science and technology. According to the ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, Massey University is ranked 43rd in the world for Food Science and Technology. Its Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours programme is the only degree in Australasia that combines food science, food engineering, and food business, and is accredited by the US-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
What the MoU Covers
The MoU, signed for a period of five years with the option of renewal for another five years by mutual consent, establishes a framework for collaboration across several strategic areas. Dedicated coordinators from both institutions will oversee the implementation of these initiatives.
| Area of Cooperation | Description |
|---|---|
| Joint Research Projects | Collaborative research in food technology and food processing |
| Third-Party Funding | Joint applications for international research grants and funding |
| Academic Exchange | Participation in seminars, workshops, and academic meetings |
| Faculty and Researcher Exchange | Exchange programmes for faculty members and researchers |
| Student Mobility | Programmes enabling student exchange between the two institutions |
| Knowledge Sharing | Capacity building and innovation initiatives in higher education |
The agreement includes provisions to safeguard the intellectual property rights of both institutions. It serves as a non-binding framework designed to foster future academic partnerships while protecting the interests of both parties.
Significance of the Partnership
This collaboration connects one of India’s leading food technology institutions with a globally recognised university in food science, creating opportunities for innovation across the entire food value chain.
For NIFTEM-K, the partnership opens avenues for international exposure for its students and faculty, access to global best practices in food processing research, and the potential to co-develop technologies with a top-ranked institution. For Massey University, it provides access to India’s vast and growing food processing sector, opportunities to collaborate on research relevant to tropical and subtropical food systems, and a platform for student and faculty exchanges with a leading Indian institute.
At a broader level, the MoU supports India’s efforts to strengthen its food processing ecosystem through global academic partnerships. The sector is a key pillar of the government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, which aims to scale the food processing industry to USD 535 billion by the end of FY26. Collaborative research between the two institutions could contribute to developing longer shelf-life foods, sustainable packaging, functional foods, and value-added ingredients that benefit the entire food industry.
India’s Food Processing Sector in Context
India’s food processing sector is a vital contributor to the national economy. It contributes approximately 7.9 per cent to manufacturing GVA and 8 per cent to agriculture GVA, while accounting for about 13 per cent of India’s exports. The Indian food processing market was valued at around Rs 30.5 lakh crore (USD 354.5 billion) in 2024 and is projected to grow to Rs 45.8 lakh crore (USD 535 billion) by the end of FY26.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries implements several flagship schemes to support the sector:
| Scheme | Key Focus | Outlay |
|---|---|---|
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) | Infrastructure development including Mega Food Parks, cold chains, and agro-processing clusters | Central sector scheme |
| PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) | Financial and technical support to micro food processing units; One District One Product (ODOP) approach | Rs 10,000 crore (2020-21 to 2025-26) |
| Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) | Support for creation of global food manufacturing champions | Demand-driven |
As of 2025, over 1.44 lakh micro food processing enterprises have been sanctioned credit-linked subsidies under the PMFME scheme. The number of registered food business operators in India has expanded from 25 lakh to 64 lakh, reflecting growing formalisation of the sector. The government has also established 24 mega food parks and 22 agro-processing clusters to strengthen processing infrastructure across the country.
Key Takeaways
- NIFTEM-K, an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, signed a five-year MoU with Massey University, New Zealand on July 2, 2026.
- The agreement focuses on collaboration in food technology, food processing, innovation, and higher education, including joint research, faculty exchange, and student mobility programmes.
- NIFTEM-K was established in 2012 and became an Institute of National Importance through the NIFTEM Act 2021. It is located in Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana.
- Massey University was founded in 1927 as an agricultural college and gained university status in 1964. It is ranked 43rd globally in Food Science and Technology by the ShanghaiRanking.
- The MoU includes intellectual property rights safeguards and may be renewed for another five years by mutual consent.
- India’s food processing market is projected to reach USD 535 billion by end of FY26, with the government supporting the sector through schemes like PMKSY, PMFME, and PLISFPI.
