HomePosts Tagged "APEDA" (Page 2)

APEDA is working towards exploring new markets for cashews in the international markets of Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, Spain, Kuwait, Qatar, USA European countries, etc.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority (APEDA), an organisation under the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, played an instrumental role as an export facilitator and flagged off its Cashew Nut shipment to Bangladesh, Qatar, Malaysia and the USA to mark National Cashew Day. Bangladesh will be receiving its first-ever shipment of Cashew Nuts all the way from Odisha.

After Côte d’Ivoire, India is the second largest producer and exporter of Cashew Nuts with a share of more than 15 per cent, followed by Vietnam in the world’s cashew export. India’s top export destinations are the UAE, the Netherlands, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the major cashew-producing states in India. India primarily exports Cashew Kernels with small quantities of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid and Cardanol.

With the UAE and the Netherlands remaining as the top export destinations for Indian Cashew Nuts, APEDA is working towards exploring new markets for cashews in the international markets of Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, Spain, Kuwait, Qatar, USA European countries, etc.

The demand for cashew products has been on the rise, and to see the industry evolve and thrive is a heartening moment. The growth is a testament to the hard work of the farmers, processors, and exporters.

As soon as Cashew Nut and its product has come in the ambit of APEDA, it has been engaging with the stakeholder of Cashew Nut sector to address the various issues and challenges facing the industry in the form of modernization and the processing facilities, logistics, quality and strict international competition.

In the future, APEDA may intervene in the automation of the cashew industry. Training of professionals, registration of cashew processing units, and a traceability system will be formulated for cashew, replicating peanuts. APEDA will disseminate cashew-related information to stakeholders. APEDA is dedicated to continually exploring innovative methods, leveraging technology, and strengthening trade relations to ensure that Indian cashew products reach every corner of the world.

APEDA is working towards exploring new markets

Present arrangement of 1200 USD/MT in place till a decision is taken on the FOB value.

The Government of India has taken a series of measures in order to check the domestic prices of rice and ensure adequate availability for domestic consumers.  One of the measures being that contracts for Basmati rice exports with the value of USD 1200 per MT and above only may be registered for issue of Registration – cum – Allocation Certificate (RCAC) effective from 25th August 2023. This measure was necessitated as the Government had received credible field reports regarding misclassification and illegal export of non-basmati white rice, exports of which have been prohibited with effect from 20th July 2023. It had been reported that non-basmati white rice was being exported under the HS code of Basmati rice.

Now, the new crop of Basmati has started arriving and there is generally a decline in prices when the new crop starts arriving.  Based on the representations received from the Rice Exporter Associations that the high FOB value is adversely affecting the export of basmati rice from the country, Minister, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had attended a consultative meet with the basmati rice exporters. Based on the discussions in this meeting, review of Free on Board (FOB) price of contract for issue of RCAC by APEDA for export of basmati rice is under active consideration of the Government. The present arrangement will continue until an appropriate decision is taken by the Government.

Present arrangement of 1200 USD/MT in place

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

FICCI PwC Knowledge Report: Propelling India’s millet sector towards a sustainable future, was released in FICCI Millet Conclave ‘Shree Anna’.

Dr Sudhanshu, Secretary, APEDA, highlighted the emergence of more than 80 startups in the millet sector within the past year and a half, responsible for developing well-packaged products, and acknowledged the innovation from large retail organisations.  Dr Sudhanshu was addressing the FICCI Millet Conclave ‘Shree Anna’.

Dr Sudhanshu emphasised the need for continuous efforts to provide guidance and support to small entrepreneurs and startups in the millet area, recognising the need for handholding rather than focusing solely on large export houses. In addition, he stressed sustaining the momentum after the launch of the campaign and expressing the commitment to take it to the next level.

Reflecting on the past one and a half years, Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops, Oil Seeds), Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare noted the significant growth of startups in the millet sector, which has captured the attention of the highest levels of government. She emphasised the importance of making the millet movement a mass movement in India and globally. 

The programme also saw the felicitation of winners of the 2nd Edition of Millet Startup Awards and Millet Idea Competition of Higher Education Students on “Creating India’s Millet Revolution: Game-Changing Idea”. 

On occasion, FICCI PwC Knowledge Report: Propelling India’s millet sector towards a sustainable future, was released. Speaking on the report, Shashi Kant Singh, Partner at PwC India, outlined the policy implications for the next 10 to 15 years, production aspects, awareness creation, innovation, and market development for millets.

Speaking on occasion, TR Kesavan, Chairman of the FICCI National Agriculture Committee & Group President, TAFE, passionately advocated for integrating millets into the regular diet, emphasising its multifaceted benefits, including nutritional value, climatic resilience, and income generation for farmers. He highlighted the challenges in cultivation, the need for mechanisation, and the importance of making millets profitable.

In his address, Dr Khader Vali, known as the Millet Man of India, passionately advocated for millets to eliminate various diseases. He emphasised that millets go beyond nutrition, offering a unique solution to global health challenges. Dr Vali highlighted the sustainable cultivation of millets, which requires minimal water, and lamented the disappearance of many traditional varieties. His insights served as a call to action, urging a reconnection with millets, recognising their unparalleled health benefits, and promoting sustainable cultivation. 

 Ravinder Balain, President South Asia at Corteva Agriscience, highlighted the United Nations’ declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millet on India’s proposal and the Indian government’s subsequent initiatives to raise awareness about millets.

FICCI PwC Knowledge Report: Propelling India’s millet

The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi market in Navi Mumbai to New York as part of a pilot project

In partnership with the National Plant Protection Organisation of India, US-APHIS, the Maharashtra government, and the Agriculture Marketing Board and National Research Centre on Pomegranate, APEDA facilitated the export of the first trial consignment of pomegranate to the US by air route. The shipment, consisting of 150 boxes (450 kg) of the ‘Bhagwa’ variety of pomegranate with high antioxidant content from Maharashtra, was transported by APEDA-registered INI farms, one of the largest exporters of fruits and vegetables in India. Bhagwa, the most popular pomegranate variety in India, has gained significant demand. The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi market in Navi Mumbai to New York as part of a pilot project.

In 2017-18, the US banned Indian pomegranate due to concerns over fruit fly infestation in the pomegranate seeds. However, after the Indian government’s efforts to address the issue with the US, the ban was lifted in 2022 once quality standards were met.

According to APEDA, Indian pomegranate production is growing at a rate of 20 to 25 per cent annually, with increasing demand both domestically and in the export market. India is a significant player in destinations such as Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and is known for its unique pomegranate varieties. UAE is the largest importer of Indian pomegranates, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of Indian global exports. As India produces pomegranates year-round, its production basket is larger than in other countries.

The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi

Pune-based Agritech startup Nutrifresh aims to reduce the carbon footprint and promote sustainability initiatives through focussed initiatives

Pune-based Agritech startup Nutrifresh is focused on reducing the carbon footprint and promoting sustainability. Environmental sustainability is essential for protecting natural resources, mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, supporting human health, and promoting social well-being. It also plays a critical role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

“By reducing energy consumption, promoting renewable energy, reducing transportation emissions, practising sustainable agriculture, reducing waste, and preserving natural habitats, we are contributing to reducing the carbon footprint and promoting a sustainable future for all. Additionally, these measures can also have benefits for farmers, including increased crop yields and reduced input costs,

“Speaking about our key achievements, we have 150k Kgs of production capacity per month across farms and the fresh produce is delivered within 24 hours in the service areas. Our total area with active hydroponic production is 33 acres. We have served around 15K households across Mumbai & Pune regions,” said Bina Khan, Board Advisor & Investor, Nutrifresh Farm Tech India Pvt Ltd.

One key sustainable aspect that Nutrifresh focuses on is efficient resource utilisation. This includes optimising water usage, minimising the use of pesticides and fertilisers, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring proper waste management.

Co-founded by two Agripreneurs, Sanket Mehta and Ganesh Nikam, Nutrifresh’s aim is to supply consistent pesticide-free Hydroponic produce that is nutrient-rich to the Indian consumer year-round. Nutrifresh is committed to quality and is one of the few farmers with ISO, FSSAI, APEDA, HACCP, and GLOBAL GAP certifications. As an Agritech startup operating for the last three years under Nutrifresh Farm Tech India Pvt Ltd.’s operations in Pune and Mumbai currently running a 33-acre farm, we are into soilless and hydroponic cultivation.

Nutrifresh now sells its products to over 100 B2B aggregators in India and modern trade aggregators and delivery partners such as Nature’s Basket, Big Basket, Swiggy, Kissan Konnect, Star Bazaar and Zomato Hyperpure. It has an established protected cultivation facility that uses high-quality seeds from Israel and the United States, where the air is given in controlled amounts, water is RO-cleansed, and nutrients are water-soluble. From seed procurement to germination, nursery, harvesting, packaging, and finally delivery to the end user, the entire production is under control. The produce is delivered to the consumer within 24 hours of harvest, demonstrating that the supply chain is fully linked and in sync to ensure consistency of freshness.

Pune-based Agritech startup Nutrifresh aims to reduce

MoU to help promote millets and value-added millet products in international markets

In a move to harness the export potential of millets to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCCs), the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) which works under the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu Hypermarket LLC.

APEDA aims to promote millet products and value-added products around the world in association with Lulu Group, which is an international retail hypermarket chain that operates stores and shopping malls across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, India and the Far East.

As per the agreement, the Lulu Group will facilitate promotional activities for millet products and enable the country to display millets and its value-added products, ready to eat products in international retail chains by sourcing it from Farmer Producer Organisations, Farmer Producer Companies, women entrepreneurs and startups.

APEDA will facilitate manufacturers to send various samples of millet products to Lulu Hypermarkets, which will be showcased at its various stores. APEDA, in association with Lulu Group, will also provide assistance in the labelling of the products in accordance with the requirement of different importing countries.

As a part of its series of events for the promotion of the International Year of Millets (IYoM) 2023, APEDA is organising export promotion activities for millets in 16 International Trade Fairs, including Gulfood 2023.

India has exported millets worth $ 46.05 million from April-November 2022-23 and the UAE is the major importing country of Indian millets. The signing of the MoU will facilitate APEDA’s strategy to promote the export of millets and its value-added products in West Asian countries to achieve the overall set target of USD 100 million for the export of millets and its value-added products by 2025.

The MoU was signed between Dr Tarun Bajaj, Director of APEDA and Salim VI, the Chief Operating Officer of LuLu Group in presence of APEDA Chairman Dr M Angamuthu, Consul General of India Dr Aman Puri and M.A. Yusuff Ali, the Chairman & Managing Director of Luu Group.

Speaking on the occasion, APEDA Chairman M Angamuthu said, “It’s a good opportunity to boost our exports as India has very distinctive traditional varieties of millets which are loved by health-conscious people. The export of millets will help in increasing the income of farmers.”

APEDA has also planned to organise millet promotional activities in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America by facilitating the participation of different stakeholders from India in some of the significant food shows, Buyer Seller Meets and Road Shows.

MoU to help promote millets and value-added

Currently, Sikkim grows organic farm produce worth Rs 8 crores and it will grow up to Rs 8000 crores gradually by 2030

Sikkim is India’s first 100 per cent organic farming state and the government is planning to export agricultural organic produce from Sikkim, currently, Sikkim grows organic farm produce worth Rs 8 crores and it will grow up to Rs 8000 crores gradually by 2030, said Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Textiles and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, at the Asia Economic Dialogue in Pune.

Pune International Centre (PIC) a Pune-based think tank and Ministry of external affairs has organised Asia economic dialogue a three days conference. Experts from various fields participated in the forum.

Goyal said that to Sikkim make organic farm products export hub, the government plans to set Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) unit in Sikkim.

He said, “While the developed world is the largest contributor to climate change, they are preaching to us today about what we should be doing despite us being only 2.5 per cent of contributors to carbon emissions. The government has focused on addressing climate change as a responsible global citizen. We are promoting circular economies so that we recycle our waste. We are among the top five performing nations in addressing climate change goals. We are also promoting products like sustainable textiles.”

Currently, Sikkim grows organic farm produce worth

Trade opportunities and way forward to upscale the export of GI and traditional bananas from India

ICAR- National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), New Delhi jointly organised a two-day consultative workshop on ‘Export of GI and traditional bananas: Present scenario, trade opportunities and way forward’ during 21-22 December, 2022 at Tiruchirappalli to upscale the export of GI and traditional bananas from India.

The Chief Guest, M Angamuthu, IAS, Chairman, APEDA, New Delhi appreciated the efforts of ICAR-NRCB, FPOs, and banana farmers’ efforts to conserve the GI and traditional bananas. He stressed the need to utilise the varietal diversity of bananas by using cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, and precision farming for extending export to more than fifty countries shortly.

The Special Guest, C Samayamoorthy, IAS, Agricultural Production Commissioner praised Tamil Nadu for cultivating diverse, traditional banana cultivars resistant to various biotic and abiotic stresses.  He also assured the support of the Tamil Nadu State Government for promoting exports of bananas.

The Special Guest, Rajalakshmi Devaraj, IDAS, Addl DGFT, Chennai underlined that under the District Export Hub Program, 11 districts from Tamil Nadu were selected in which Tiruchirappalli district was identified for banana export.

V Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor, TNAU, Coimbatore stressed the importance of soil management by following strategies such as precision farming, micro-irrigation, and fertigation, etc.

K M Indiresh, Vice-Chancellor, UHS, Bagalkot informed that under One District One Product (ODOP) program, in Karnataka, two regions were identified for promotion of bananas particularly value added products.

V B Patel, ADG (Horticultural Science -II), ICAR, New Delhi urged to enhance the productivity and improve the quality of bananas.

While presiding the inaugural session R Selvarajan, Director, ICAR-NRCB, mentioned that value of banana exports tripled from Rs 430 crores to 1300 crores during 2018-2022 and there is a great opportunity to export GI tagged and traditional banana cultivars in view of increasing demand for those cultivars. He applauded the Sirumalai and delta region farmers of Tamil Nadu for cultivating and protecting the GI-tagged and traditional cultivars of banana.

On this occasion, six publications were released and three awards were conferred to different stakeholders in banana production system viz., Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., Jalgaon, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu Banana Growers Federation, Thottiyam and Tamil Nadu Hill Banana Growers’ Federation.

More than 300 participants attended the export workshop and an exhibition was also organised wherein more than 100 varieties and landraces of bananas were displayed.

Plenary session of the workshop was held on 22 December, 2022. M K Shanmugasundaram, IAS, Development Commissioner, MEPZ,SEZ, Chennai was the Chief Guest and D K Agarwal, Registrar General, PPV &FRA, New Delhi and Alex Paul Menon, IAS, Joint Development Commissioner, MEPZ, SEZ, Chennai were the Guests of Honour.

Trade opportunities and way forward to upscale

The government has taken up the task of providing GI tagging to another 20-25 products which will give us an edge in the international markets.

“Expanding business and marketing opportunities for farmers with a well-planned holistic agriculture development is immensely helping Jammu and Kashmir to move towards historic transformation”, said Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department.

ACS said this while addressing a mammoth gathering after inaugurating one day Buyer-Seller meet organised by the department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing (HP&M).

Over three hundred growers and farmers, SHGs, FPOs and entrepreneurs hailing from different parts of J&K participated in the event.

The meet also witnessed great participation of buyers which included big merchants, exporters and multinational companies like Reliance, Big Basket and Amazon. Besides, many potential buyers, exporters, and stakeholders including HFN, Unnati Cooperatives, Uniwool, JKDCUL, Sarweshwar addressed the gathering.

Participating buyers appreciated the initiative of the department which will provide an exclusive opportunity to interact directly with the growers and farmers.

He said that the government has launched a holistic agriculture development programme in J&K. The conceptualization, formulation and approval of the massive transformative mission to reform agriculture and allied sectors in J&K was finalized and translated on ground in just 5 months of time, he added.

Pertinently, the humongous exercise began with the constitution of the Apex Committee under the Chairmanship of Mangla Rai by the Lieutenant Governor and culminated with the finalization of a transformative mission for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors in J&K with the potential to transform the subsistence agriculture of J&K into sustainable commercial agri-economy.

Atat Duloo said the approved plan comprising 29 project proposals shall push agriculture and allied sectors to a new trajectory of growth with economy, ecology and equity as its guiding pillars, he shared. He also announced that the government has taken up the task of providing GI tagging to another 20-25 products which will give us an edge in the international markets. Besides, a high-level committee has been set up to take steps for export promotion of our significant products.

ACS further shared that the government has recently constituted a Marketing Board for facilitating the regulation of mandis and conferred various powers to the Board and the director of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing, J&K. The unified licensing has been approved as also the declaration of CA stores/warehouses/stores of FPOs/Cooperatives as sub-yards of Mandis for undergoing trade on e-NAM.

He said HP&M has moved towards a transparent e-auction system for the allocation of space in mandis and e-NAM trade has increased from less than Rs 1 crore to over Rs 23 crore in a span of 3-4 months, besides taking lead at the national level in inter-state e-NAM Trade.

Speaking on the occasion, Vanita, DGM APEDA, deliberated upon the initiatives of the organization towards the promotion of J&K agriculture and Horticulture. She informed that APEDA, a first, recently introduced the Mishri variety of cherry to the Singapore market and Kashmir Apples to Hongkong which she termed as new milestones for local products.

Later, a buyer seller interaction session was conducted where participants had a thorough and candid discussion on different aspects related to business promotion.

The government has taken up the task

Millets market set to grow from its current market value of more than $9 billion to over $12 billion by 2025

To promote shipment of nutri-cereals, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its apex agricultural export promotion body, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has prepared a comprehensive strategy to promote Indian millets exports across the globe commencing December 2022.

The millets export promotion programme comes at the backdrop of the proposal of India that was supported by 72 countries which lead to the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA) declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYoM). The government is currently organising IYoM-2023 at domestic and international level to popularise Indian millets as well as its value-added products across the world and make it a peoples’ movement.

For exports of Indian millets’ promotion, centre has planned to facilitate participation of exporters, farmers and traders in 16 international trade expos and Buyer Seller Meets (BSMs). As per the government’s robust strategy to promote millets, Indian missions abroad would be roped in branding and publicity of Indian millets, identification of international chefs as well as potential buyers such as departmental stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets for organising B2B meetings and direct tie-ups.

APEDA has planned to organise millet promotional activities in South Africa, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom and United States of America by facilitating participation of different stakeholders from India in some of the significant food shows, Buyer Seller Meets and Road Shows.

As part of the promotion of Indian millets, APEDA has planned to showcase millets and its value added product at various global platforms such as Gulfood 2023, Foodex, Seoul Food & Hotel Show, Saudi Agro Food, Fine Food Show in Sydney (Australia), Belgium’s Food & Beverages Show, Germany’s BioFach and Anuga Food Fair, San Francisco’s Winter Fancy Food Show, etc.

India’s top 5 millet producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, while the share of export of millets is nearly 1 per cent of the total millet production. Exports of millets from India include mainly whole grain and the export of value-added products of millets from India is negligible. However, it is estimated that the millets market is set to grow from its current market value of more than $9 billion to over $12 billion by 2025. India’s major millet exporting countries are U.A.E, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, the UK and the USA. The varieties of millets exported by India include Bajra, Ragi, Canary, Jawar, and Buckwheat.

Millets market set to grow from

Agri startups one of key partners to boost agriculture exports

Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State (Agriculture and Farmers Welfare), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India said that soon an accelerator programme of Rs 500 crore will be started to take forward the successful initiatives of Agri Startups in which DARE, DPIIT, Agri Incubators, agriculture universities, research institutes, investors and other stakeholders will be included.

Choudhary said that there will be a separate division of Agriculture Startup to be set up in the Ministry to be led by Joint Secretary. “A cell will also be created to work as a single window agency to facilitate all the linkages required for agri startups,” he added.

Dr Sudhanshu, Secretary, APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, GoI, emphasised that increasing agriculture exports is a national imperative and Agri startups are potential partners in this journey. Efforts are being made to promote and support agri startups for engagement in agri exports and strengthening of the startup ecosystem.

Agri startups one of key partners to

The company is in active discussions with customers from other countries to leverage the demand for “Indian Traditional Plant-Based and Vegan products”

 Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has announced that GREENEST, India’s pioneering plant protein food brand has shipped India’s first plant-based meat export consignment to the USA from Gujarat in India.

The 5,000 Kg consignment consists of GREENEST products (Plant-based Mini Samosas, Hot and Spicy Strips, Momos, Spring Rolls, Nuggets, Grilled patty, and other Vegan products). GREENEST is a pioneer in plant-based protein products and is backed by investors like Better Bite Ventures (a New Zealand based dedicated Alt Protein VC fund), Magnetic, and Sachid Madan (the former Chief Executive of ITC’s frozen snacks business).

“This is just a beginning, and we hope that India with its rich vegetarian heritage will become a hub for the growing global demand for plant-based Vegan products” said Dr M. Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority).

Harpreet Singh, Regional Head, APEDA Gujarat said “APEDA provides assistance to exporters under various components of its schemes such as Infrastructure, quality, and market development. In addition, APEDA also conducts international Buyer Seller Meets (BSM), Virtual trade fairs with importing countries to promote export of agricultural & processed food products. Plant-based vegan food is a burgeoning category with a strong international potential and we see it as one of the key contributors to our packed foods export portfolio from Gujarat.”

Gaurav Sharma, Founder & CEO, GREENEST said, “We have been receiving a large interest from foreign markets for high quality and healthy plant-based foods and GREENEST is happy to take the lead in this endeavour from India. We are confident that on the back of our strong product quality and unique value proposition, these volumes will grow significantly in the months to come. We hope that this opens new opportunities for our friends in India’s plant-based industry.”

“We believe Indian plant-based foods are primed to be a popular category in the global markets and are witnessing a high number of enquiries for ethnic and value-added plant-based meals both from food service operators and retailers. The consignment to US is the first of many more to follow and we are confident that with APEDA’s continuous involvement and support, we will see many more flag offs happening in the times to come,” said Jeet Hirpara, Managing Partner of Wholesome Foods.

Varun Deshpande, Managing Director at expert non-profit the Good Food Institute India, said, ” GFI India is supporting APEDA in formulating and promoting policy pathways for the export of plant-based foods, while also working with the stakeholders within the sector to ensure that products being exported are competitive with the products available in other markets.”

The company is in active discussions with

In a move aimed at boosting export of agricultural and food products from Ladakh, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its export promotion body APEDA is in process of handholding of Apricot value chain stakeholders to enhance export from Ladakh under the brand ‘Ladakh Apricot’.

It is expected that the initiatives of APEDA towards export promotion of Apricots and other agri-products would give a fillip to overall development of the region. The export promotion strategy of APEDA places major focus on canopy management of the apricot orchard/trees obtain a uniform and better-quality harvest of apricots. It would help in sustained marketing, product development, research and development (R&D), enhancement of traceability and brand promotion of apricot, which is one of the important fruit crops of Ladakh and is locally known as ‘Chuli’.

APEDA, in association with UT of Ladakh, is also facilitating towards development of export infrastructures such as setting up of integrated pack house facilities with grading lines, pre-cooling units with cold storages and insulated/refrigerated transportation up to packhouse/exit ports, common infrastructure facilities such as pre-shipment treatment facilities e.g. irradiation, Vapor Heat Treatment, Hot Water Dip Treatment for compliance with Phyto-Sanitary requirements of importing countries.

APEDA is also focusing on strengthening packaging for fresh apricots, transport protocol and Brand Promotion ‘Ladakh Apricots’ for better price realization of apricots of trans-Himalayan Ladakh, which are known for their better quality.

Work on obtaining GI tag for Ladakh apricot is also in process. Notably, bulk of the apricot produced in Ladakh is consumed locally and only a small quantity of it is sold in dried form.

Given that logistics support plays a key factor in export promotion of any product, APEDA is working towards the augmentation of logistics support apricots too through air on the lines of market linkage scheme – PARVAZ and by road to nearest international exit ports for streamlining the exports from the region.

In a move aimed at boosting export