APEDA inks pact with Assam Agriculture University to promote NER as agri export hub

New Delhi, July 13 (KNN) The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed an agreement with Assam Agriculture University to conduct various training programmes on pre-harvest and post-harvest management and other research activities.

The objective of the government is to formulate a strategy to make North-Eastern region, a potential hub for the export of agricultural produce to its neighbouring countries.

The NE region is a strategically important region as it shares international boundaries with China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh making it the potential hub for the export of agricultural produce.

In the last six years, there has been a momentous increase in the exports of agricultural produce from NE states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya. The region witnessed an 85.34 percent growth in the export of agricultural products as it amplified from USD 2.52 million in 2016-17 to USD 17.2 million in 2021-22.

APEDA has also been organising field visits for importers to have first-hand information about the qualitative cultivation practices being followed by farmers. This in turn will help in building potential market linkages. Most of the importers coming for these visits are from the Middle East, far Eastern countries, European nations etc.

In the last three years, APEDA has also been successful in organising 136 capacity building programmes on export awareness and 22 International Buyer Seller Meetings in North-Eastern region.

A conference on the Export Potential of Natural, Organic and Geographical Indications (GI) Agro Products was also conducted in Guwahati on June 24 to tap the abundant export potential of organic agricultural products from Assam and neighbouring states.

In the coming times, APEDA has planned to undertake several projects like capacity building of 80 budding entrepreneurs and exporters from the region, the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and the state govt. officials, organize skill development and training in food processing, value addition on horticultural produce, etc.  (KNN Bureau)