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HomePosts Tagged "Abhishek Dev"
Agro Universities, Collaborations, Foodgrains, India, Supply Chain

APEDA’s initiative aims to promote export of non-basmati rice varieties.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry jointly with IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) organized a workshop on “Profiling of Potential Varieties of Non-Basmati Rice and Value-Added Products of Rice” at New Delhi.

The workshop showcased the outcome of two pioneering research projects, “Comprehensive Grain and Nutritional Quality Profiling of Non-Basmati Rice” focusing on identifying high-quality aromatic, nutrient-rich rice low glycaemic index (GI) varieties with geographical indication (GI) tag germplasm from various Indian states; and “Value-Added Products from Rice and Rice-Based Food Systems”, a project aimed at creating innovative, healthier rice-based products like nutrient-dense rice muesli, whole grain rice cookies popped rice, rice flakes, and instant upma.

These significant projects, supported by APEDA, are conducted at the state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition lab at IRRI’s South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi. During the event, IRRI presented the profiling of potential non-basmati rice varieties across India and showcased value-added products with global market potential.

Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal in his keynote address acknowledged and appreciated the joint efforts of APEDA and IRRI for coming up with the focused research on the potential varieties of non-Basmati Rice. He emphasised that this joint initiative has huge potential, and the identified varieties of non-basmati rice not only possess significant export potential but also have health benefits such as low glycaemic index and is climate resilient. He further drew attention to the value addition and branding of the non-basmati rice varieties for tapping into the export potential and marketability of these varieties.

Chairman, APEDA, Abhishek Dev shared some insights on the importance of rice industry in India, the need for value addition, and research to improve sustainability and global competitiveness. He also expressed the need for collective effort to increase rice exports and benefit all stakeholders in the value chain. Further he stressed upon a starting point for developing strategies for increasing rice exports and rice-based products. Additionally, during his address, Chairman, APEDA also appreciated ISARC’s efforts, stating, “These projects not only respond to the growing demand for healthier food options but also capitalize on traditional rice varieties to create value-added products.”

Building on the success of APEDA’s initiatives, the strategic collaboration with stakeholders, alongside targeted marketing efforts by the industrial stakeholders, will be key to expanding both domestic and international market reach, thereby contributing to the premium economy and enhancing export potential under the non-basmati category.

APEDA’s support has significantly contributed to the success of these projects, enabling ISARC to pioneer advancements that will shape the future of India’s rice industry. The combined approach of developing low GI rice varieties and nutrient-dense value-added products is set to boost India’s export capabilities and promote significant economic growth within the agricultural & food processing sector.

APEDA’s initiative aims to promote export of

AgroPolicy, Fruits, Horticulture, India, Trade

Fresh Turmeric and Mixed fruits consignments flagged off to UAE by FPOs in Varanasi.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, is actively driving initiatives to enhance the contribution and share of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) / Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in the exports of Agri and processed food products and has till date registered more than 1000 FPO/FPC’s as APEDA Members.

With a dual aim to unlock export opportunities for agricultural and processed food products from the region and to enhance the contribution of FPO’s/FPC’s in the Agri and Processed food products, APEDA organized an exposure visit for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to the UAE. The delegation comprised 47 members, representing FPOs from UP, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.

During the visit, FPO’s visited the Al-Aweer fruit and vegetable market to explore the possibilities and opportunities for Indian agri products specially grown in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Further the delegation of FPOs visited LuLu Hypermarket to understand the requirements and pattern of purchase at Dubai market. During the visit, the FPO representatives also met with a good number of buyers and pitched their produce for export. As an immediate outcome, an FPO among the delegation finalized an order of fresh turmeric which was also flagged off to the UAE market. The other FPO’s have also been able to get promising leads and are currently in negotiation with the buyers. Thus, more orders are expected in the near future.

To evaluate the benefits of the visit and disseminate its outcomes among farmers, APEDA conducted a capacity-building and experience-sharing program in Varanasi on 5th March 2024. In the program, the representatives of FPOs who undertook the visit to the UAE, shared their experiences and learnings of the visit among other member farmers. They briefed them about the requirements/regulations to be followed for exporting agri commodities to the UAE market. They also briefly highlighted the potential products which have a significant untapped demand in the UAE market namely Mango, Green Chilly, Okra etc. which could be tapped by the farmers of the region. They also encouraged the farmers to implement good Agricultural practices (GAP), while farming so as to enable their produce to meet the regulatory requirements of the Importing countries.

Notably, the event also marked the flag-off of a consignment of fresh turmeric to Sharjah, UAE, showcasing the region’s potential for export. Additionally, fresh fruits were exported from Varanasi’s LBSI Airport to the international market, highlighting the region’s expanding export capabilities.

Operating through its regional wing in Varanasi, and taking forward the above vision, APEDA has identified the Purvanchal region as a model Agri Export Hub, recognizing its significance in agricultural trade and has enrolled more than 120 FPO’s from the region as its members. Special focus is being given towards enrolment of FPO’s/FPO’s dealing in ODOP/GI products, those which are Women & SC/ST led and those from the NER/Himalayan States and landlocked areas.

Chairman APEDA, Abhishek Dev, emphasized the significance of exposure visits in exploring agricultural export opportunities, underlining their potential to boost national foreign exchange earnings and improve farmer incomes. He remarked on the keen interest shown by FPOs in agricultural export, recognizing it as a positive indicator of the region’s capacity to meet international market demands. He highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s rise as the third-largest agricultural exporting state in India (APEDA Basket), attributing this achievement to the region’s deep potential and APEDA’s sustained efforts in enhancing the contribution of land-locked areas in exports.

Fresh Turmeric and Mixed fruits consignments flagged

Agribusiness, AgroPolicy, Fruits, Horticulture, India, Trade

A consignment of 20 MT (1540 boxes) of bananas was flagged off under the banner of M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation Pvt., Ltd, the women entrepreneurship which is registered exporter of APEDA.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry facilitated the export of bananas from India to Russia via Sea by M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation Pvt. Ltd. a Mumbai-based exporter of fruits and vegetables regularly exporting fresh fruits and vegetables to the EU and the Middle East.

A consignment of 20 MT (1540 boxes) of bananas was flagged off on 17th February 2024 from Maharashtra by Chairman, APEDA, Abhishek Dev in a collaborative effort with the Central Institute of Sub-tropical Horticulture (CISH). APEDA highlighted the development of sea protocol employed for this shipment by CISH for maintaining the quality of fruit in transit.

Chairman APEDA encouraged more exporters to employ novel methods in shipping new products to new destinations, with APEDA supporting and facilitating these endeavors. He highlighted APEDA’s financial assistance scheme, which now is putting special emphasis on supporting women entrepreneurs. He applauded the contribution of CISH in the development of the sea protocols and congratulated all personnel for a successful flag-off. 

Recently, Russia has shown keen interest in the procurement of tropical fruits from India with bananas being one of them, which significantly is a major Agri import of Russia, which was presently, primarily being imported from Ecquador, in Latin America.

The major export destinations for Indian bananas include Iran, Iraq, UAE, Oman, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan, and the Maldives. Additionally, the USA, Russia, Japan, Germany, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and France present India with abundant export opportunities.

The consignment was flagged off under the banner of M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation Pvt., Ltd, the women entrepreneurship is a prolific registered exporter of APEDA. M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation procured bananas directly from farmers of Andhra Pradesh. After harvesting, banana was brought to an APEDA approved packhouse in Maharashtra where it was graded, sorted, packed, boxed and stuffed in containers. The container was transported to JNPT for further voyage to Novorossiysk port, Russia for the final destination at Moscow Russia.

Banana is a major horticultural produce with Andhra Pradesh being the largest banana-producing state in India, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. These five states collectively contribute around 67 per cent to India’s banana production in the fiscal year 2022-23.

Despite being the largest global producer of bananas, India’s exports do not reflect this quantitative evaluation. India’s export share in the global market is only 1 per cent even though the country accounts for 26.45 percent of the world’s banana production (35.36 million Metric Ton). In the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported bananas worth USD 176 million, equivalent to 0.36 MMT.

Within the next five years, Banana exports from India are expected to achieve the target of 1 billion USD. This achievement will ensure an increase in farmers’ income and improve the livelihood of more than 25,000 farmers and is estimated to generate employment for more than 50,000 aggregators directly or indirectly linked to the supply chain. 

A consignment of 20 MT (1540 boxes)

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India, Trade

With an increase in millet exports from USD 62.95 million in 2021-22 to USD 75.45 million in 2022-23 and with current export of USD 45.46 million from April – November 2023, Millets are gaining popularity in the global market.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated around 500 startups in marketing and exporting millet-based value-added products. A farmer from Sangrur, Dilpreet Singh, has transformed into an exporter, marking his first export consignment of 14.3 metric tonne of millets, and its products valued at USD 45,803. Chairman, APEDA, Abhishek Dev flagged off the consignment.

The shipment includes ready-to-cook millets derived from Kodo millet, Foxtail millet, Little millet, Browntop millet, and Barnyard millet. Additionally, flours sourced from Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, Foxtail, Kodo, Barnyard, Browntop, Little, and Proso millets were also a part of this unique export endeavour.

With an increase in millet exports from USD 62.95 million in 2021-22 to USD 75.45 million in 2022-23 and with current export of USD 45.46 million from April – November 2023, Millets are gaining popularity in the global market. There is significant increase in the export of cereal preparation including value added millet products registering a growth of 12.4 per cent over the same period last year.

With an increase in millet exports from

Horticulture, India, Supply Chain, Trade

The initial shipment was sent from Ghazipur to the UAE and was flagged off virtually by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Chairman Abhishek Dev

Purvanchal, located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, has made its first-ever export of banana plant derivatives to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Along with fruits and vegetables, the leaves and flowers of the plant were also exported. The initial shipment was sent from Ghazipur to the UAE and was flagged off virtually by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Chairman Abhishek Dev from the Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport in Babatpur, Varanasi.

The export of banana fruits, flowers, and leaves is mainly dominated by South India. However, Purvanchal farmers are now also making a name for themselves in the international market for this agricultural product. In August this year, there was a 10 metric ton increase in exports compared to the same month last year. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) attributes this success to the supportive policies of the Yogi government and the hard work of the farmers. Purvanchal banana leaves and flowers are now gaining acceptance in foreign countries.

APEDA’s Varanasi Regional Office announced that with the support of the Yogi government, fruits and vegetables from India are now available in foreign markets. In particular, bananas from Ghazipur will be exported with their leaves and flowers, marking the first time all three are being exported together.

 Apart from this, Amda, Karonda, Bhindi and Parwal have also been exported to the UAE in recent times.

In August 2022, 81 metric tons of vegetables and fruits were exported from Varanasi airport, while last month, the export was increased to 91 metric tons.

The initial shipment was sent from Ghazipur