Of the total 29 major industrial groups covered under the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), the 'food products' category, which includes the preservation and processing of meat, fish, crustaceans, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, reported the highest number of operational factories at 40,508.

This sector also employed the most individuals, with 2.1 million people engaged in the organized manufacturing sector for the financial year 2022-2023 (FY23), according to findings released by the National Statistical Organisation (NSO).

Following the food products sector, the 'other non-metallic mineral products' industrial group had the second-highest number of operational factories, totaling 29,321. This category includes the manufacturing of glass products and other non-metallic mineral products. Meanwhile, the textiles sector recorded the second-highest employment figures, hiring 1.7 million individuals.

The data indicates that the total number of operational factories in the organized manufacturing sector rose to 253,334 in FY23, up from 249,987 in the previous financial year, 2021-2022 (FY22). The ever-increasing apparel demand from the fashion industry and the meteoric growth of e-commerce platforms are expected to drive market growth over the forecast period.