The 1,000-kg consignment from Kalahandi and Nabarangpur marks Odisha’s first structured export of garlic and French beans, linking FPO farmers directly to overseas markets via Bhubaneswar airport

Odisha marked a quiet but significant milestone in its agricultural journey this week as farmers from Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts shipped their first-ever consignment of garlic and French beans to Dubai, directly from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. The 1,000-kg export underscores a new phase in the state’s farm economy—one that connects smallholder collectives to global markets without detours through distant logistics hubs.

The shipment, sourced from members of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), included garlic and French beans exported for the first time from Odisha through a structured channel, alongside baby potatoes, ivy gourd, pointed gourd, and papaya. Aggregation, grading, and quality checks were coordinated at the FPO level, with traceability protocols aligned to international norms—an essential step for fresh produce seeking sustained access to overseas markets. For farmers in some of Odisha’s most underserved districts, the consignment represents more than a one-off transaction; it signals the viability of export-led horticulture as a pathway to higher and more stable incomes.

Officials involved in the initiative describe the Dubai shipment as a pilot designed to test end-to-end readiness—from farm gate aggregation to airport handling and international compliance. The choice of Bhubaneswar as the export gateway is equally strategic, positioning the city as an emerging agri-logistics node for eastern India and reducing dependence on traditional export hubs on the western coast.

The export coincides with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment working on a new Agri Export Policy aimed at deeper global market integration and value realisation for farmers. Supported by the Directorate of Horticulture and the PSFPO project, the initiative reflects a broader policy shift: moving Odisha’s agriculture beyond subsistence and domestic procurement, and towards a globally connected, farmer-led value chain where even first-time exporters can compete on quality, consistency, and credibility.