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Saturday / December 21. 2024

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HomePosts Tagged "FPOs in Odisha"
Fruits, India, Supply Chain, Trade

APEDA Partners with Odisha’s Directorate of Horticulture and Department of Agriculture to expand FPOs’ Global Market Reach with Palladium as Technical Support Unit.

 The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Directorate of Horticulture with support from Palladium as the technical support unit (TSU) of the Promotion and Stabilization of Farmer Producer Organizations (PSFPO) project facilitated first ever export of dragon fruits from Patnagarh, Balangir district of Odisha to Dubai. Around 4 Quintals of premium quality organically grown dragon fruit has been supplied to Dubai through Bhubaneswar International Airport on 4th Sep 2024

 Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, Principal Secretary Dr Arabinda K Padhee, IAS, Director of Horticulture Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, IAS, Regional Director of APEDA Sitakanta Mandal, Associate Director of Palladium Biswajit Behera, along with the team members of PSFPO, representatives from the Airport Authority of India, World Trade Centre, and VeloExim flagged off the consignment at the airport.

The Dragon fruits, known for their vibrant red flesh and superior size were meticulously cultivated using organic practices. Despite their quality, local market saturation had led to low prices—ranging from Rs 120 to 160 per kg. However, this export initiative has elevated the status of Dragon fruit, fetching a price of Rs 250 to 260 per kg in the international market.

Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting its significant impact on the state’s agricultural exports. He stated, “Organic dragon fruits have shown tremendous benefits for cancer patients and have also been effective in reducing blood pressure, managing sugar levels, and combating other diseases. I am optimistic that these fresh and organic products will reach every household, contributing to better health outcomes. Additionally, I look forward to expanding exports to Southeast Asian countries where there is high demand. I am deeply grateful to APEDA, the Directorate of Horticulture, and Palladium India for making this export a reality.”

Biswajit Behera, Associate Director of Palladium, shared his thoughts on the successful export initiative, stating, “Palladium through its Market System Development (MSD) approach has been supporting FPOs to supply to the export markets by ensuring required quality control in place. Since the export journey began in May this year, we have facilitated FPOs to export products from several districts of Odisha to seven different countries across the globe. We are thrilled that fruit crops like dragon fruits, produced in Odisha, have now gained the recognition they deserve and are being sold with around 100 per cent incremental price value in the international market. Being fully organic, these dragon fruits offer numerous health benefits, and we are excited to see people across the globe enjoying them. Looking forward to increase the export connect for spices, floriculture, millets in addition to fresh vegetables in times to come.”

This achievement reflects the tireless efforts of Palladium India, which has been working closely with the Odisha government to strengthen the Farmer’s ecosystem. Their initiatives include upskilling farmers, enhancing supply chains, and facilitating market development. Notably, through collaboration with APEDA, they have successfully exported mangoes and vegetables in recent months. Future plans include expanding exports to new markets and initiating spice exports to the European Union.

APEDA Partners with Odisha's Directorate of Horticulture

Agribusiness, AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Collaborations, India

The signing of MoUs with 34 Agribusiness companies aimed at providing crucial marketing support to FPOs in Odisha.

The Odisha FPO Conclave 2024 achieved a noteworthy milestone in reshaping the FPO ecosystem in the region. This edition of the FPO Conclave resulted in the signing of 34 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Agribusiness Companies. The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment in Odisha has partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to enhance the FPOs’ ability to access lucrative markets, align with government schemes, and implement a Digital Governance system for evaluating the performance of FPOs in Odisha.

Organised by Department of Horticulture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Govt. of Odisha in collaboration with Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha FPO Conclave 2024 has been a platform with a diverse array of stakeholders, including policy makers, Implementing Agencies, CBBOs, Banks and Financial Institutions, Institutional buyers, Ag-Tech solution providers, Academicians, Industry Experts, Agribusiness Market Players and FPO representatives to deliberate on strategies to enhance market access, positioning Odisha as the hub of agribusiness opportunities through FPOs in eastern part of India. Palladium Consulting India Private Limited was the technical and knowledge partner for the event.

The Conclave was envisaged as a state forum to engage in dialogue among ecosystem stakeholders to accelerate the business transformation of FPOs. More than 500 participants from FPOs across the state in 30 districts participated in the Conclave.

Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, IAS, The Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment addressed the gathering and provided an overview of agriculture and allied sector landscape in Odisha. He further highlighted “The need for collective marketing and focus on value-addition for farmers in the state and the role of FPOs in achieving the same, while emphasizing on the importance of private partnerships for growth of FPOs.

The Vice Chancellor of OUAT highlighted “The collaborative efforts between OUAT and the Department of Horticulture, particularly in bolstering support for FPOs through direct engagement of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and the participation of Agribusiness Management students in research endeavours aimed at strengthening FPO ecosystems.”

Officials from NABARD, ORMAS, NAFED, SBI were invited to the Conclave who interacted with the FPOs during various technical sessions. Sector experts, leaders, and academicians from PRADAN, IPFRI, LEAF, Digital Green, Ninjakart, Sahaydri Farms, Access Development Services, ORIGIN, ISB, Dehaat, Debra Agribusiness FPCL, Farmology, Kalgudi Digital Private Limited, Kisan Saathi, Lawrencedale Agro Processing India Pvt Ltd, Mayurbhanj Grand Pvt Ltd., NEML, Samunnati Finance, Semina Agro Pvt Ltd., Skill Greens, Bank of Baroda, Academicians, from OUAT participated in the Conclave.

The Conclave provided a platform for attendees to forge new partnerships, exchange ideas, and explore collaboration opportunities. The breakthrough event facilitated knowledge exchange and market exploration and enabled ecosystem players to engage in dialogues with sector experts.

The signing of MoUs with 34 Agribusiness