Pandemic spurs changes in food choices, consumption shifts towards healthier diet

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to have a relook at their food habits. In the last four-five months, the demand for nutritious food that can help build immunity has risen. This trend offers a good growth potential for the agri and food processing sector in the state, feel experts.
“Consumption patterns have undergone a change. There is greater emphasis in western countries on plant-based nutrition rather than animal-based nutrition and I am sure it will come here as well,” V Ram Kaundinya, DG, FSII, said at a session on ‘Agri, Fisheries & Food Processing: Ploughing through and processing Coronavirus challenge’, on the second day of TOI’s ‘Reboot Andhra Pradesh’ conclave, which is supported by RINL, in association with VSEZ, Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Local Area Bank and TNR Talent High School.
Bala Reddy, founder & CEO, Our Food Pvt Ltd, pointed out that in the initial phase of the lockdown, there were many issues with regards to raw material supply but there was pressure from the demand side as well.“Many people started visiting retail outlets and started buying products that are directly sourced from farmers and many customers started buying healthy products, which proved beneficial for farmers ,” he said.