MAY 19: The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), in collaboration with APEDA, TPCI, and the Government of Bihar, inaugurated the International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM) on 19–20 May 2025 in Patna, aiming to unlock Bihar’s rich agri-food export potential. The event brings together global buyers, domestic suppliers, MSMEs, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for trade engagement, market access, and long-term sourcing partnerships.
The event was inaugurated by Shri Chirag Paswan, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, alongside Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, and Shri Nitish Mishra, Bihar’s Industries Minister. Over 70 international buyers from 20 countries, including major retail chains like LuLu Group (UAE), SARTAJ (Japan), and Global Foods Trading (Germany), joined the platform. Around 400 B2B meetings were scheduled with 50 domestic and 20 institutional buyers, spotlighting sourcing interest in makhana, rice, spices, and fruits from Bihar.
Shri Paswan, in his keynote, emphasized that the IBSM marks a crucial step toward the Government’s vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047.” He noted that Bihar’s youth are being positioned as job creators, not just job seekers. He lauded the state’s fertile land and entrepreneurial spirit as vital to India’s ambition of becoming a Global Food Basket. In 2024–25, Bihar topped all states under the PMFME Scheme, with ₹624.42 crore sanctioned across 10,270 micro-enterprise loans.
Reflecting on Bihar’s heritage, he said, “Just as Nalanda once attracted scholars, the upcoming NIFTEM in Bihar will be a hub for food tech innovation and excellence.”
The Minister also released a strategic report on boosting Makhana exports, highlighting Bihar’s leadership in this GI-tagged product. Multiple companies announced procurement plans, reaffirming the state’s emerging role as a reliable sourcing hub.
APEDA Chairman Shri Abhishek Dev and senior officials from MoFPI and the Bihar Government emphasized that IBSM is the result of long-term institutional efforts to link Indian agri producers with global markets. They stressed the need to enhance food processing infrastructure to boost employment and exports.
The two-day IBSM features technical sessions, exhibitions, and targeted buyer-seller meets—poised to drive investments, build global linkages, and strengthen Bihar’s standing in India’s food processing sector.
, in collaboration with APEDA, TPCI, and the Government of Bihar, inaugurated the International Buyer Seller Meet){kind=link}