Our Goal is to Empower Farmers: Manpreet Singh Chadha
Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh): Chairman of Wave Group, Mr. Manpreet Singh Chadha, emphasized that empowering farmers remains his top priority, which is why the company is making new investments. He stated that while one plant is already operational, the new investment aims to double farmers’ income and enhance their prosperity. Mr. Chadha made these remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony of Agristo Masa Private Limited’s new plant.
The ceremony was attended by Princess Astrid of Belgium, Uttar Pradesh’s Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Chief Secretary Manoj Singh, and representatives from Belgium and India.
Agristo Masa Private Limited is a joint venture between Masa Global Food Private Limited (a subsidiary of Wave Group) and IMSTO NV, Belgium (the holding company of Agristo NV, Belgium). With a new investment of ₹750 crore, the project is expected to bring rapid transformation to the agricultural sector. The expansion is expected to benefit around 2,500 farmers, in addition to the 500 farmers already receiving sustainable livelihood support from the plant’s interventions.
Since its inception in July 2022, potato productivity has increased from 17 tons per hectare to 32 tons per hectare, making it one of the highest-yielding regions in the country. The plant exports products to North America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Japan. The company had initially invested ₹250 crore in potato-based products. Now, an additional ₹750 crore will be invested in setting up a new French fries production line.
After helping increase farmers’ income by up to 50% over the past three years, Agristo Masa’s Bijnor plant is now set to further empower farmers.
Speaking at the event, Christophe Walez, Director of International Expansion, Innovation, and Sustainability at Agristo, highlighted that the Bijnor plant is a testament to what can be achieved when vision and technological expertise come together. He noted that the partnership with Masa Global Food allows Agristo to contribute meaningfully to India’s rapidly growing agriculture and food processing sector, ensuring sustainable growth for all stakeholders.
Apart from leveraging Indian farmers’ expertise, Agristo is also collaborating with Belgian companies like Vyncke, their Indian enterprise ForbesVyncke, and AVR, which specializes in harvesting machinery.
Mathias Diependaele, Minister-President of the Flanders Government, attended the event as an esteemed guest and emphasized that the Bijnor plant symbolizes the strong ties between the Flanders region and India.