Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman has conveyed that As per extant Policy, FDI up to 100%, under the automatic route, is allowed in food processing industries. Further, 100% FDI under Government route for retail trading, including through e-commerce, is permitted in respect of food products manufactured and/or produced in India.
Data on foreign investment in India is maintained remittance wise, which is very voluminous and is available in public domain at the website of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion at www.dipp.nic.in under the heading `Publication’ at ‘SIA Newsletter’. However, the statement on financial year wise FDI equity inflows from April 2014 to May 2017 in food products sector and food processing industries, as maintained is as under
Food Products
| Sl No | Year | FDIin US$ million |
| 1 | 2014-15 Apr-Mar |
342.50 |
| 2 | 2015-16 | 434.92 |
| 3 | 2016-17 | 562.40 |
| 4 | 2017-18 Apr-May |
182.40 |
| Grand Total | 1,522.23 |
Food Processing Industries
| Sl No | Year (Apr-March) | FDI in US$ million |
| 1 | 2014-15 | 515.86 |
| 2 | 2015-16 | 505.88 |
| 3 | 2016-17 | 727.22 |
| 4 | 2017-18 Apr-May |
187.90 |
| Grand Total | 1,936.86 |
The Government reviews FDI policy on an ongoing basis with a view to liberalise and simplify the FDI policy so as to provide ease of doing business in the country leading to larger FDI inflows. However, no such estimation/ assessment are possible, as FDI is largely a matter of private business decisions.