This document discusses agro-processing and its potential benefits. Agro-processing involves subjecting agricultural commodities like food, feed, fiber, fuel, fish and forest products to post-harvest operations like cleaning, grading, drying and packaging before reaching consumers. It has large potential for growth and socioeconomic impacts through employment and income generation. While agro-processing can increase incomes and access to food for the poor through small businesses with little capital investment, there are also constraints that limit its development in developing countries. The private sector also has yet to fully realize agro-processing's potential as markets remain to be explored. An efficient marketing system is needed to drive demand-based production and bring processed foods to market at scale.

1. Abstract
AGRO PROCESSING FOR EFFECTIVE AGRI BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Shankaraiah, N and Dr.B.K.Narayana Swamy
P.G. Student, Professor and Head,
Department of Agricultural Extension
UAS, GKVK, Bangalore-65
Email: shankar_mnks@yahoo.com
Agro-processing is now regarded as the sunrise sector of the Indian economy in view of
its large potential for growth and likely socio economic impact specifically on
employment and income generation. Almost all the seven F’s like food, feed, fibre, fuel,
fish, forest, fodder commodities go through a number of post harvest processing
operations such as cleaning, grading, separation, drying, storage, milling, processing,
packaging, transport and marketing before it reaches the consumers. There is a great
diversity of agro processing worldwide and in some countries it accounts for more than
60% of the employment. Further, some estimates indicated that in developed countries,
up to 14 per cent of the total work force is engaged in agro-processing sector directly or
indirectly. The agro processing is turning primary agricultural products into other
commodities for market has the potential to provide opportunities. Practical Action's agro
processing aims to increase income and access to food for the poor, by establishing
small-scale, appropriate and sustainable processing businesses that are flexible, require
little capital investment and can be carried out in the home without the need for
sophisticated or expensive equipment. However, there are a number of constraints that
limit the further development of small-scale food processing in developing countries.The
private sector is yet to realize its full potential in the food-processing sector, as the market
is still to explore. To catch the huge market for processed foods, an efficient marketing
system is necessary to bring about demand-driven production. It can reduce wastage,
enhance food security, improve livelihoods for low-income groups and empower women.