Women Entrepreneurs Represent 44% of PMFME Beneficiaries

Under the Prime Minister’s Micro Food Processing Enterprises Formalisation (PMFME) scheme, women now account for 44 per cent of all loan recipients, a figure that underscores the government’s focus on empowering female entrepreneurs.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries revealed that out of more than 2 lakh micro‑food processing units approved for credit, roughly 88,000 are owned or managed by women. This gender balance is reflected in the training statistics as well, where 77 per cent of the 176,000 trainees are women.

Minister Paswan said the high participation of women signals a “true spirit of women‑led development” and forms a solid foundation for a progressive India. The scheme’s seed‑capital component has additionally benefitted over 418,000 Self‑Help Group members, many of whom are women, further strengthening financial inclusion.

Beyond financing, the programme offers comprehensive support that includes branding, marketing, hand‑holding and market linkage services, helping women‑led enterprises scale their operations and penetrate larger markets.

The PMFME’s emphasis on skill development, formal registration (Udyam, Udyog Aasist, FSSAI, GST) and incubation support is expected to sustain the growth trajectory of women‑run micro food processing units across the country.