ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indo Fruits Development Council (IFDC), Pune, today for collaborative capacity building of stakeholders in the grape value chain

Dr Kaushik Banerjee, Director, ICAR-NRCG, briefed about the ongoing research activities of the Institute.

Shri Sopan Kanchan, Director (IFDC) and President (Grape Growers Federation of India), elaborated on the anticipated future progress of the IFDC-NRCG collaboration.

The IFDC is the first commodity stewardship council under the ‘Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness & Rural Transformation (SMART) Project,’ which is supported by the Government of Maharashtra and the World Bank. The IFDC aims to promote and support the growth and development of specific commodities by bringing together stakeholders across the value chain. This collaboration seeks to enhance competitive advantage, market access, technical functions, and policy advocacy for the targeted commodity.

Additionally, IFDC officials organised an interaction meeting with all the scientists of ICAR-NRCG.