India, May 20 -- PATNA: Two-day International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM) organised jointly by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in partnership with Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), and Government of Bihar began in Patna on Monday. The event aims to bring together key stakeholders from the food and allied sectors to promote trade, strengthen exports, and unlock Bihar's agri-food potential. The meet is witnessing participation from 70 international buyers representing 20 countries, including six global retail chains, alongside 50 domestic and 20 institutional buyers. With over 400 curated B2B meetings, the event is poised to generate new market linkages, boost procurement opportunities for local MSMEs and FPOs, and translate Bihar's agri-strengths into export success. The inaugural session was graced by Chirag Paswan, Union minister of Food Processing Industries, Vijay Kumar Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Mishra, Industries Minister of Bihar and other senior officials from the MoFPI, APEDA, TPCI, and Government of Bihar. In his inaugural address, union minister Chirag Paswan reiterated the government's vision of "Viksit Bharat @2047". "This International Buyer Seller Meet is not just a trade event, it is a turning point for rural prosperity," he said and added "We envision Bihar's youth to become job creators, not job seekers. We will ensure every investor is fully facilitated by the Government. Bihar's fertile land and entrepreneurial spirit will play a pivotal role in positioning India as a Global Food Basket." He affirmed that the vision of a Viksit Bihar is inseparable from the vision of a Viksit Bharat-one will naturally lead to the other." Paswan said that in the financial year 2024-25, his ministry has sanctioned a record 10,270 loans worth Rs.624.42 crore under the PMFME Scheme to micro food processing units in Bihar-the highest for any state in the country. He emphasized that this achievement is not a coincidence, but the result of the government's focused push to translate the vision of Viksit Bihar into ground-level impact. It reflects both the Ministry's resolve to strengthen rural enterprise and the resounding trust that Bihar's micro-entrepreneurs have placed in the policies of the Government. The meet witnessed strong interest from global players like LuLu Group (UAE), SARTAJ (Japan), Datar & Sons, (UAE) and Global Foods Trading (Germany), who are exploring large-scale procurement of rice, spices, makhana, and fruits from Bihar. Companies such as Royal Golden Trading (UAE) and UVR Natural Foods (India) have also announced concrete sourcing plans, reaffirming Bihar's emergence as a trusted sourcing hub under the proactive efforts of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Significantly, 12 companies announced procurement commitments for rice, pulses, spices, fruits, vegetables, and makhana from Bihar-marking a breakthrough in long-term sourcing partnerships with countries. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by the Chairman, TPCI, who praised the collaboration between the central and state governments and expressed optimism about the investment and export momentum generated by the event....